By Julia Xia, Staff Writer
Every fall brings new beginnings to high school: new students, courses, clubs, and also, new teachers. This year Mills is excited to have brought in more than four new teachers and administrators to campus. For many of them, this is their first time in a classroom teaching material, rather than learning it. It is an opportunity for them to get to know our school, students, and the culture here at Mills. And while inevitably it is a period of stress and uncertainty, it’s also a time of excitement and expectation as they begin their careers here on our campus.
One of the new teachers here at Mills is Mr. Guzman, an English teacher who teaches sophomores and juniors. This year marks his first year of being a teacher after having been a teacher in training. The reason why he became an English teacher stems from his love for reading and writing. “I felt an imploding sense of happiness when my writing was improving, and I want to share that feeling with my students.” Mr. Guzman explains. What makes Mr. Guzman especially unique is that he went to high school at Mills. He’d characterize his years here as a second home; the environment was comforting, and he was impressed with the education he received here. So if you ever have any questions about Mills, you know where to go.
Ms. Fan is one of the Chinese teachers at Mills. She teaches a couple of level one classes. Having taught previously at a private school, she decided to make the switch because she didn’t believe the environment suited her. “I wanted to make full use of my expertise and clinical teaching. I also wanted to apply my theories about education.” When I asked Ms. Fan about why she wanted to become a teacher, she said that since she already had a background in education and some teaching experience, she wanted to apply her knowledge in a classroom. She chose Mills because she believed that it would be a great opportunity to grow as a teacher. Also, she really liked and was impressed with the faculty and administration here at our school. Ms. Fan believes that the students here are very hardworking and she looks forward to more years of teaching.
Another new teacher here at Mills is Ms. Canas-Gonzalez, another English teacher who teaches both Freshman and Juniors. Ever since she was in school, she had the thought in the back of her mind that she wanted to be a teacher. However, ironically, she wasn’t necessarily the biggest fan of school itself; but being surrounded by great teachers really inspired her to pursue a career in teaching. She also wanted to create a place where students could gain a sense of pride rather than leave school feeling like they’ve done nothing. “I wanted to become a teacher because I wanted to empower the voices of students and create a community where students could see their successes.” She explained. She chose Mills because–like Ms. Fan–she noticed that the school’s staff were kind to her and really supportive. Not to mention the students that she would describe as “fun and goofy”.
The last new teacher at MIlls is the art and ceramics teacher, Mr. Christenson. He used to teach art at another school, but after he was relocated into a smaller building, he made the change to Mills. Mr. Christensen didn’t always want to be a teacher, but when he joined an organization that helped bring art to low income children, it sparked a new passion in his life. When he joined Mills and began as a teacher here, he was not nervous; in fact, it was quite the opposite, “…once class starts, I seem to just get a rush of new energy and all is well for the time being” He hasn’t been teaching at Mills for a long time, but the time he has spent here has already made him feel like he’s at home. “This is quite different for me now, but I am really enjoying it! I love being on the Viking Ship!”
Being a new student in high school can be really stressful, after all you’re in a completely new environment surrounded by people you’ve never seen before. But many people may forget that it could be just as nerve-wracking for teachers since they are in a new environment and have to learn to adapt to teaching a bunch of rowdy kids who are all unique. Knowing this, feel free to stop by at lunch or recess and say hello to welcome them to the school. I know they would appreciate it.
