Her calling veered away from the academic path. She wasn’t entirely sure: she knew she liked teaching and helping others, but between the effort required for a university degree and the more accessible option of a shorter course, like becoming an esthetician (which also appealed to her), she preferred the latter. However, someone envisioned a broader future for her, supported by high educational expectations.
It was her University Orientation Course tutor who, with a strong pedagogical commitment, bet heavily on her. With the friendly and affectionate firmness that characterized her, she said a phrase that still resonates strongly with her:
“Don’t worry, you’ll be able to become an esthetician, but first you’ll go to university.”
That phrase became the bridge to her true dream. Her tutor had designed a supportive environment for that year. She implemented strategies based on peer learning, both inside and outside the classroom, encouraging collaboration among classmates with different abilities, with the goal of helping her succeed in all subjects. She became a reference figure, practicing what is known in pedagogy as “scaffolding.”
Educational scaffolding, a concept developed by Jerome Bruner from Vygotsky’s ideas, involves providing temporary support to the learner, enabling them to achieve goals they would not reach on their own. In her case, it meant going from the brink of dropping out to successfully completing the university entrance course.
She went to university, and that achievement marked the beginning of an academic journey that has never stopped. Today, she is also among those who support processes sustained by high expectations. She knows that her tutor’s decisions and actions were backed by science, recognized as scientific evidence with social impact.
High expectations, especially for those who have at some point been grateful for low ones because they imply less effort, can open the door to an unexpected and bright future. They can change a destiny. She knows this well, and that is why she identifies and deeply appreciates the person who one day not only believed in her potential but also committed to helping her reach it.
Article translated from Periódico Educación
Graduated in Pedagogy and Adjunct professor at the Faculty of Education Sciences at the University of Valencia