Teacher of the Week - Mr. Graham
This week’s teacher of the week is our very own Newspaper Advisor, Mr. Graham. Mr. Graham has been with us since February of last year. He came all the way from Butler, Pennsylvania. Previously, he served in the Marines, but now you can find him teaching English to 10th and 12th graders, running the Yearbook Club, and watching over Saturday School. We decided to sit down and interview Mr. Graham to give you an insight of what he is really like.
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AD: Where did you go to study? What led you to study education?
Mr. G: Undergrad at UC Davis. Majored in Middle Eastern studies and political science. I like to be well rounded, so I wanted to learn other topics. Which led me to go get my Masters in Teaching at Columbia afterwards. What’s the point in learning all of that if you never pass it along?
AD: What motivated you to be a teacher?
Mr. G: I like having a job where I’m contributing to something bigger than myself.
AD: You recently temporarily took up the place of Ms. Adams as activities director. How was that?
Mr. G: I have a newfound appreciation for what she does. There’s a lot that goes into it and there’s a certain personality type that works best for this job. She’s very organized and handles the pressure well. On the other hand, the more you get to interact with the students the more you care. As someone who didn’t participate that much in high school, it gives me more of an appreciation for what goes on behind the scene.
AD: How does teaching compare to other jobs you’ve had in the past?
Mr. G: My former jobs are similar by being able to serve other things that are bigger than myself, and it feels good helping people.
AD: How does your hometown differ from Soledad?
Mr. G: Not too much. Demographics is different. It’s still rural. Besides the race part it’s very similar. Same issues. Butler, PA is a very low-income area with a lot of the same issues as Soledad is facing..
AD: Do you feel your worldly background impacts the students at Soledad High?
Mr. G: I think that it makes it more relatable and personal to show students where I’ve gone. I like to show them that there is more to world than Soledad. The world is very connected more now than ever, and it’s important to instill that in kids minds
Photographed by Liliana Hazel