Jonathan Valverde
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I went to La Jolla to contemplate and think about my life and my hopes.
After contemplation, I went to Richard Walker's Pancake House. It's the first time I've eaten in a restaurant in 3 months!
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Words that describe me, Jonathan Valverde.
Jonathan's Views
1. What are the things you are passionate about in your personal life?
I am passionate about God, family, music, and teaching. I love God and cultivate my relationship with Him each day. I love my family and do my best to stay connected with them. I also love music. I love to sing and write music and lyrics. I hope and pray God allows me to sing and play music all of my life. I love teaching because it gives me the opportunity to pass on what I have learned in my field of study and in life.
2. What drives you in your professional life?
Connecting with people drives me. I enjoy getting to know those around me and those that I am teaching. Teaching is completely people-oriented and I am a people person. That is why teaching online or doing classes online is not as satisfying because part of teaching is being with your students and having that human in-person time with your students.
3. Do you think education as an institution is meeting the needs of children and adolescents? Why do you believe as you do?
I do think that it is to an extent. I think the fact that Americans are so innovative and creative is a reflection of the education and people that surround them in schools. I think that it is easy to complain about the education system but finding solutions and actually putting in the work is harder. Most people just complain but don’t do anything about it. On the other hand, there is always room for improvement.
4. If you could have a magic wand and change anything about your profession, what would you change and why?
I would like to see more choices for students in schools. I would like to see more business classes in schools to prepare students for the practical things in life like balancing a checkbook, fixing your own car, paying bills, and raising kids. I think schools have shifted too much into “changing the world” and trying to fix huge problems and have lost sight of letting kids be kids and making them stronger in their personal lives and fixing problems within their reach. I think there is too much pressure on kids to solve cleaning the environment and stuff like that when they can’t even keep their own rooms clean. I think we need to be more humble and teach kids to be more humble about life.
5. What are your hopes for your future? What are the hopes and dreams you want to accomplish?
I hope for a family. I hope for children. I hope to keep singing and making people happy through my music. I hope to touch my students’ lives and let them know that God, family, and children are the most important things in life. A career is great but without those other things, it will be a lonely life. I want to grow in my teaching career and work at a school where I feel valued and appreciated and where I make kids feel valued and appreciated. I dream of revival in my personal life and my family. I dream of revival in this country and that our hearts will be turned and transformed back to God. I will be a part of bringing that revival because I pray for it everyday and know God hears my prayers. I know the prayer of one righteous person can bring great change and I dare to believe that I can be one.
6. Then imagine that you are near the end of your life, what would you hope to have accomplished? What would be the most important things to look back on? What would you want to say about your passions and accomplishments?
I would hope to have raised Godly children and grandchildren. I would like to look back and say my music touched many people’s lives and turned them to God. I would love to look back and say “Remember the last revival we had in America? I was part of bringing it into existence.” I would also like to look back and see that I was a reason why my family came together again and were united like never before. I would like to have my peers say “Jonathan inspired me to be a better teacher, a better person, and a better musician.” I would like my students to say, “things were so bad in my life, I felt like giving up...but then I had this teacher named Mr. Valverde and everything changed for the better because he believed in me.”
Philosopher's Quotes
“Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled with in vain.”
Carl Jung
This speaks to me because I believe as educators we tend to overthink things when we have simple solutions within our reach, something so simple as a fist bump or a thumbs up.
“I've known for years that the university underserved the community, because we assumed that university education is for 18- to 22-year-olds, which is a proposition that's so absurd it is absolutely mind-boggling that anyone ever conceptualized it. Why wouldn't you take university courses throughout your entire life?”
Jordan Peterson
As a student long past 22, I totally see the truth in this quote. I appreciate school more now than before because of life experience and the journey it took me to get here. I’m grateful.
“It's in responsibility that most people find the meaning that sustains them through life. It's not in happiness. It's not in impulsive pleasure.”
Jordan Peterson
This gives me comfort. Being responsible for something or someone gives me a meaning and purpose in life.
“Adopt responsibility for your own well-being, try to put your family together, try to serve your community, try to seek for eternal truth... That's the sort of thing that can ground you in your life, enough so that you can withstand the difficulty of life.”
Jordan Peterson
This quote changed my life several years ago. I decided that I wanted to be the one to bring my family together and serve my community. This gives me a reason to get up in the morning because I know that my small actions have big consequences and possibly, rewards. I’m changing the universe for the better when I create unity in my family and community.
“One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.”
Carl Jung
I can relate because I had a singing teacher who made me feel I could do anything with my voice, and I did. He was brilliant but also warm.
“The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.”
Carl Jung
I love this because I love making new connections and new friends. It is magical when you connect with another human being.
"You can’t change the past, but you have the ability to create any future you want for yourself."
Emily Gould
This is a very hopeful quote from my new friend Emily Gould!
Broken Wings
Written by: Jonathan Valverde
I chose this song because I wrote it when I first came to San Diego. I would sing this song to my students when I was a substitute teacher. There came a point when I felt like giving up on everything. I felt like bird with broken wings. But when I thought about it, I realized that even birds with a broken wings still sing because there is something inside of them that gives them hope to believe that they can one day fly again. I sang this song to thousands of students when I was a substitute teacher. I wanted my students to know that even if they were going through a hard time that if they kept believing and didn't give up they could also one day fly like an eagle. I continue to sing this song for my students because I still believe this. I'm proof that it is true. I didn't think I would make it through so many things in my life but here I am today with my credential and I am almost done with my Master's program. I am still singing, still writing new songs, and still inspiring others.
Le Reve (The Dream)
This painting is by Pablo Picasso. This painting is of Pablo's mistress Marie-Thérèse Walter. This is not the reason why it is my favorite painting. The reason is because of the story behind Steve Wynn's purchase and sale. It is an inspiring story. Steve purchased it for 48 million. He was going to sell it but damaged it with his elbow. He kept the painting instead and restored it. People thought it would forever lose it's value. However, Steve believed in this painting and found someone to restore it with great care. When it was repaired, instead of losing value, it gained value. He sold it for $155 million. What is inspiring is that if someone saw it from the front, they would never know that it was damaged. However, if you turned it around, you could see the repair. The front never showed the repair and is beautiful. However, turning it around one can see the repair work that a master restorer did to make it beautiful again.
What this shows me is that we may become damaged in life, however, we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and when we put ourselves in His hands, he can restore us and make something beautiful. People may only see the beautiful outward product of our lives, but they may never know the damage and restoration we went through to become the people whom others may see, respect, and admire. It gives me hope.
Romero Britto
This painting is by Romero Britto is a Brazilian artist, painter, serigrapher, and sculptor. I love his style and colors. This song makes me happy. To me, it represents the joy of music through visual art. Although music is appreciated by sound, this picture conveys the joy and colors of music visually.
I do my best to convey this sense of color, joy, and life of music when I sing for others. The voice has colors and can bring joy, especially when the performer feels genuine joy and appreciation for what he is singing about to the audience.
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