Fabian Ruiz-Angeles grew up in Mexico, where he lived for the first 19 years of his life. In 2007, he decided it was the right time to move to the United States, and became a United States Citizen.
“The United States welcomed me and blessed me with many opportunities,” said Ruiz.
In the same year, he took classes through DMACC and began acquiring the English language. In 2007, he also was able to study abroad in Spain. While in Spain he fell in love with the different types of Spanish food. Ruiz also enjoyed learning the difference between the Spanish and Mexican accents. Spain and Mexico are both Spanish-speaking countries, but the way they pronounce words varies, which fascinated him.
“Traveling helps expand vocabulary and other knowledge,” said Ruiz.
After Ruiz finished his time at DMACC he started studying at Iowa State University. In his time there he got to experience student teaching and school setting for a semester. Half of the student teaching he did was at Lincoln Rails Middle School in Des Moines. Then for two months, in March and April of 2009, he got a chance to experience student teaching at a school in Rosendal, Norway. While in Rosendal, he woke up to a stunning view of mountains, lush green grass, and a beautiful body of water.
After an amazing time in Rosendal he graduated from Iowa State University in 2009 and moved on to being a teacher.
For the first few years of teaching, he taught Spanish at Goodrell Middle School and East High School. Then he started teaching at Hoover High School. Hoover, being the most diverse school in Iowa, had students from all over the globe from Iowa to Cambodia.
“Every place I go to I learn new things. Every place I’ve been to has been a learning experience,” said Ruiz.
Ruiz enjoys every little aspect of teaching, but he is most passionate about students being able to make connections throughout the real world then being able to effectively communicate what they learn to others.
“I love helping others through teaching…and I do believe that everyone can acquire a second language,” said Ruiz.
Ruiz always uses the word “acquire” instead of “learn”, because students aren’t learning how to read and write; they are talking in the Spanish language, which translates to the words they read and write.
Ruiz has accomplished a remarkable number of things in such a short amount of time. He has traveled to more than 28 countries and hopes to visit countries in Asia, such as Japan, China, and India.
“Traveling is like a time machine,” said Ruiz.
He explains that you board a plane in the morning, and before you know it, it’s the middle of the night in a different country.
The world has become increasingly accessible, making traveling easier than ever. He encourages everyone to visit a different country to experience the difference in cultures.
From 2021 to 2023, Ruiz taught at an international school in Dubai. During the 2 years he spent there, he gained a substantial amount of knowledge.
Dubai being located in the Middle East, offered Ruiz a wealth of knowledge about its culture.
“I learned that there are prayers,” said Ruiz.” There are people that take minutes out of their activities to pray.”
The religion in Dubai is highly respected. Everyone follows the rules, and people get along well.
“You adjust to the culture; the culture does not adjust to you,” said Ruiz.
With the city’s incredible diversity, he got the opportunity to meet individuals from all over the world.
“You meet them for one day, but they change something about you forever,” said Ruiz.
After teaching in Dubai, he returned to Iowa and began teaching at Southeast Polk High School. The students are extremely fortunate to have him.
Before every class starts, he stands outside of his classroom to greet students with a fist bump and a friendly hello. Sometimes, that simple gesture is all someone needs to brighten their day. Throughout his classes, he maintains a positive and high-energy attitude to keep students engaged during class. There’s never a day when he doesn’t have a smile on his face. The uplifting mood he brings to the classroom every day is outstanding. It reflects how much he truly cares about his students and their progress in his class.
Outside of teaching, Ruiz helps the Clive Police department. He translates Spanish to English for the EMTs and the police officers. This is why he always encourages people to acquire a different language. There are so many doors that open once you learn to speak a different language.
Ruiz is humble, always looking for ways to grow, and be better for his students. He is constantly looking for ideas and activities to share with his classes.
“I’m very passionate about what I do. I love teaching and don’t see myself doing anything but teaching Spanish,” said Ruiz.
