A Piece of Paper and a Path Forward: My Journey from ML Student to Leader

No matter where I go, what I do, or what my title is, I’m forever a dual language teacher and principal at heart. 

Mi nombre es David Nungaray and I happen to be like one of the millions of multilingual learners in our classrooms today. Both of my parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico, and my mom braved the border so that I could be born here with a piece of paper that forever changed my life.

I grew up and went to public schools in California during the Proposition 227 era, where voters passed legislation that effectively reduced and eliminated access to bilingual education. It’s a history that I find so many educators don’t know about when I present at conferences and keynotes, and yet it’s an era like so many others that came before, that we cannot afford to forget so that history doesn’t repeat itself. 

What this meant for me was being immersed in all-English classrooms despite the Spanish I brought from home. It meant becoming ‘Day-vid’ instead of ‘Dah-veed.’ It meant a period of silence, and then eventually the need to become my family’s translator and navigator to this country and the English language. 

It was thanks to teachers like Ms. Ivory, my first-grade teacher, who saw me and taught me English, as well as Ms. Cao, my third-grade teacher, who helped identify me for the gifted and talented program that put me on the trajectory I’m on today. My parents always taught me the value of education, and I can look back now to see what a privilege it has been. 

This is where my writing comes in. My lived experiences. My authentic voice. My commitment to la lucha and this work. I’m excited to contribute to the Eduskills resources page with articles that I write about all things related to classroom, school, and district leadership. Strong advocates have always been essential, and will continue to be, to ensure our young people have all the opportunities they deserve. As an educator, administrator, or education advocate, this is where you come in.

In the articles to come, I’ll share stories, ideas, lessons learned, and practical tips to enhance your own leadership. As we consider ecosystems in education, there’s a role for all of us to play to continue to advance the work of best serving our multilingual learners, the teachers who educate them, and the families who trust us each day with their children. 

As I close out this first post, I invite you to ask yourself how you’ll show up differently or more deeply in February for your multilingual learners. We all usually start with lots of energy after that winter break, and I sense that if you’ve read this far, you are steadfast in your love and advocacy for all learners. May February treat you all and may you keep up your efforts to fight the good fight. 

About David

David is a forever dual language teacher and principal at heart. David is the proud bilingual son of Mexican immigrants, and he’s also a first-generation college graduate. He first began his career in San Antonio, Texas where he went on to serve as an instructional coach, assistant principal, academic dean, district bilingual/ESL coordinator, summer school director, founding associate principal, and eventually principal. He has also taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Trinity University in special education, school leadership, and multilingual education. David is also a co-author of Corwin Press’ Breaking Down the Monolingual Wall. He currently works as a bilingual consulting partner at a national non-profit where he has overseen partnerships in multiple states and districts across the US, including Texas, Nevada, Alaska, California, and Massachusetts. In his downtime, David enjoys spending time with his husband, their foster kids, and their two dogs. He’s an avid indoor plant collector, and he loves to travel.