Mrs. Mojocoa teaches students how to use geo mirrors for discovering angle relationships in reflections.
Ana Mojocoa is a favorite of the math teachers at Elmont Memorial High School. Her great enthusiasm and passion for teaching allows her students to excel in mathematics, from grades 9 through 12. Mrs. Mojocoa graduated from Queens college in 2005 and began teaching at Elmont that very same year. This year, in May, Mrs. Mojocoa earned her Master of Science degree in Adolescent Mathematics Education. “I finally finished my schooling, 10 years later” she jokingly said.
Although she served in the United States Navy for 13 years, Mrs. Mojocoa knew thats she wanted to be a teacher since she was a little girl. “I used to write on my walls and pretend I was a teacher. If I ever saw that my brothers and sisters or even my cousins were doing something wrong and I thought I could help them by correcting it, I would do that because I thought I was teaching them something.”
Originally from West Texas with Mexican parentage, Mrs. Mojocoa said that it took a lot of time to get adjusted to living in New York. “I do have to say that when I first moved here it was very hard, a big adjustment. I’ve been here for 11 years so now I’m used to it.”
After graduating from high school at age eighteen in El Paso, Texas and attending Texas Tech for one semester, she joined the Navy and lived aboard her ship in several states including California, Florida, and Maryland. Her final destination was Westbury, Long Island where she currently lives with her husband Anthony Mojocoa and their three children: Erika, 17, Cristian, 7, Andrew, 2.
Although Westbury is not too far from Elmont, the thought comes to mind, why Elmont? Mrs. Mojocoa’s original plan was to work at the main school in the district, Sewanhaka Central High School. After meeting the math supervisor at Sewanhaka and getting a taste of her teaching approach from a sample lesson, Mrs. Mojocoa knew that she wanted to work for her. “I am a very determined person and I was determined to work for her. So when they were doing the student teaching assignments I got assigned to North Valley Stream and I fought against it.”
“Nationally Recognized School of Excellence”
Mojocoa got her way and started at Sewanhaka. However, since there was no openings for the following year at Sewanhaka, she was placed at Elmont. It worked out and she was a perfect fit. She said, “ I just love it here.”
Podcast: Mrs. Mojocoa discusses the difficulty she faces in her teaching career at Elmont Memorial High School.