“So my initial teaching experience was working as a college professor at Loyola Marymount University, where I was a part-time instructor. It was a life-changing experience that really gave me my chops as a teacher. Being a high school English teacher has really become my calling, and it’s the reason why I’m here on the planet.”

“I think secretly, students really want to have fun at school. They’ve made a connection with teachers and their peers, and every day is an opportunity to make school, to make your job, to make life fun. I think the secret sauce of being a good teacher is truly enjoying what you do, because students will see that and they’ll enjoy coming to your class. That’s a successful formula that builds on itself. When students know that classrooms are safe, that classrooms are fun, and that the content is interesting, the rest of it takes care of itself.”