Hi! My name is Anabel Gonzalez Rivas, and I am the new Teacher Assistant in the Yellow Room. I was born and raised in Mexico, so I am a native Spanish speaker, and I happily share my knowledge of the language any chance I get. My family and I moved to California when I was 13, and I have been living in both San Leandro and Oakland ever since, which is over 20 years now. I love the bay area and I’m happy to call it home. 

I’ve had a passion for working with children from an early age. I have done so in different settings throughout the years, but I have been working as a preschool teacher for the past 11 years. I have worked with ages from infants to 4-year-olds, but the majority of those years has been working with toddlers. I have completed an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Development and I also have an Associate’s in Spanish. I plan to further my education to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. 

I love accompanying children as they discover the world around them; as they make new connections; as they learn new words; as they explore hands-on with all their senses and helping to set up an environment where they can thrive. I really value getting to know how unique each child is, from their temperament traits to their family story, to their interests, which helps in building a trusting relationship with them. I am very happy to be a part of the wonderful group of teachers here at MCCS and look forward to being of service to the wonderful community served here.