Eva Ludwig
Reporting by Rebecca Chen and Madeleine Sah
Photos by Madeline Allen, Brandon Ho and Darra McLintock
Jared Bosnich (9th grade English)
Why did you decide to become an English teacher?
“I love languages, stories [and] just everything that English includes in the teaching and learning experience. It was my favorite subject when I was in school. [English] gives a really amazing opportunity to have great discussions and [to be] engaged with really fantastic literature. [English] invites listening and speaking.”
Who is a role model in your life?
“Dr. Frederick Gaines is the chair of the ethnic studies department of College of San Mateo, and he was my mentor for several years. [He is] somebody that I trust and look to for guidance and wisdom.”
Kali Chong (Chinese 1 & 2)
*Translated from Mandarin.
What drew you to teaching?
“I thought I was better suited [to be] an office lady. I liked that kind of structured lifestyle — going to work at 9 a.m. and leaving at 5 or 6 p.m. But after a year, I got bored, so I found a teaching job in Hong Kong at a vocational school … And then I thought, ‘teaching students is actually really interesting. You’re also able to communicate with students and discover that different generations have different quirks.’”
Talia Clement (10th grade English)
What is some background information about yourself?
“I went to George Washington University, and that was where I found an organization called Teach for America, which brought me into my passion for teaching. Teach for America [pairs] you with a region and then a school where you’ll be for two years, and they help you get your teaching credential. They paired me with a school up in Richmond. I was happy to be coming back to the Bay Area.”
Why did you become a teacher?
“I have always wanted to be a teacher, even in elementary school. I would joke that I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher and also the President of the United States. I certainly gave up on one of those dreams. What I love about teaching is watching students build confidence in themselves over time, not just in growing in their abilities in English, but also in who they are as people.”
Kelsey Gamble (AP Lit & English 2AS)
What advice would you give to your students?
“To always try and ask for help. A lot of times students are too nervous to mess something up. [They] can stop [themselves] from trying something new. I always encourage [them] to try a new skill, try to do something in a new way and if it doesn’t work, ask me for help.”
Who is a role model in your life?
“My mentor teacher, Ryan Donakos … taught me all through high school. When I did my student teaching, I taught students for his classes. He’s definitely my role model. He’d probably cringe at me for saying that.”
Huishu Liu (Chinese 3)
Where did you teach before coming to Aragon?
“I taught in North Carolina before for about three years. I also did online teaching with my students in North Carolina. In terms of working with high school students, this is my fourth year. Before that, I worked with preschoolers [in] a program that supports kids with special needs or language development delay, which really supports my teaching for this position.”
Why did you decide to become a teacher?
“My mom is a retired teacher. [Most of] my family members … are teachers: my auntie, my uncles, my mom-in-law. And I had great teachers along the way to my graduation. So they set a good example for me. I wanted to be a teacher like them.”
Rebecca Zielkowski (Financial Algebra & Geometry)
Was teaching always your dream?
“Yes, I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I love math, I know a lot of people don’t, but for me it’s problem solving, which is one of my favorite things. [For example] in my free time, I love escape rooms, riddles and board games, anything that makes me figure things out. Math just makes sense to me.”
Do you have a favorite memory related to teaching so far?
“One of my favorites was when I held ‘Dundie Awards’ in my class, like from ‘The Office.’ I gave out silly personalized awards to a student who always answered with extra decimals, or another who would make me solve a problem instead of just giving the answer. The kids dressed up, we all laughed [and] some even cried. At the end, one student surprised me with my own award [being] ‘Best Dundies Host.’ It was very special to me. I’m almost tearing up thinking about it right now.”
Naoko Shin Williams (Directed Studies, Chemistry and math)
Did you want to be a teacher?
“No. I didn’t have a good experience as a student. I’m a third-generation Korean as well as a first-generation college graduate, born and raised in Japan … My parents didn’t speak English, so school was very difficult. I didn’t feel a sense of safety or belonging for most of my K–12 years. Sports was my saving grace. I was an excellent volleyball and basketball player, but teachers saw me only as an athlete and labeled me as average or below average. I internalized that.”
What changed your path?
“A teacher in 10th grade really transformed how I saw myself as a student. For the first time, I felt fully seen and valued. That teacher encouraged me through the International Baccalaureate program, which I didn’t think I could do. Some people even told me not to bother taking the exam. That lit a fire, I wanted to prove them wrong. I completed the program, passed the exams and earned college credit. That one teacher changed my trajectory.”
Henna Lopez Rahimi (English 1 & Spanish 2)
What led you to decide to teach?
“I always knew that I wanted to work with language but I didn’t know that I wanted to be a teacher at first. I used to have a lot of teachers in my family, so I knew what a demanding career it is, and I wasn’t sure I was up for the challenge. But I tried a bunch of other jobs out of college that were writing jobs and publishing jobs and other kinds of language-related jobs that just were not as fun … I was searching for a challenge that would keep me engaged and ended up trying an internship. [I] fell in love with teaching and decided to get my credential.”
