By Cozette Calderon
Since starting the new school year of 2023, we have a few teachers here at Benicia High School. We at The Paw wanted to give the students and teachers a chance to “meet.”
We asked the new U.S history teacher, Mr. Rodriguez a few questions to introduce himself to the students.
We all struggle when change occurs, so when asked ‘What has been your biggest struggle as a teacher here at BHS?’, Mr. Rodriguez replied, “One of the biggest struggles at BHS for me is probably the fact that I am not from Benicia and hadn’t had much interaction with the town prior to this school year. I know that teachers can have a difficult time relating to students, especially if they’re not from the same community as them. This is why I try to attend as many events at BHS that I am able to—like sporting events, theater performances, etc. to become more connected with the school environment.”
Mr. Rodriguez continually supports our football team, talking to students before class about the games, rooting for Benicia even when they go against the school he attended for highschool. Rodriguez certainly has been reaching students through his attendance of school events.
As teenagers navigating new staff and new classes, it can be difficult to feel welcomed or supported. For teachers, it can be hard to express their goals for their students. When asked:
If there’s one thing you want your students to know about your goal for them, what is it?
Rodriguez replied:
“I would want students to know that I am always there to support them no matter what. I am here to support them in becoming the best version of themselves and to help them find what interests them.”
What is your favorite part about teaching?
My favorite part about teaching is the daily interactions I have with my students. Even if it’s not necessarily history related, I enjoy talking with everyone about their lives, their interests, and what students hold near and dear to them. Another aspect of teaching that I enjoy is seeing the creativity from students in things like projects where I see a piece of students reflected in their work. One final aspect of teaching I like is being able to discuss a subject with everyone that I am passionate about and trying to make it as interesting as possible.
As students, teachers are sometimes viewed by us as being stuck as an adult in a job babysitting, trying to engage and help with our futures. However, to gain a connection with teachers, it’s good to have some background knowledge about why they were willing to teach—what motivated them?
When asked what motivated him, Rodriguez replied “The main motivator for me becoming a teacher was my inspiration I received from various teachers in high school—in particular, my 10th grade World History teacher. Prior to 10th grade, I would’ve considered myself a very apathetic student. It’s not because I didn’t try or got in trouble at school, I just didn’t see a point in school other than my parents telling me I had to go. I was very down while in school because I had to retake a class that I didn’t pass and no subject peaked my interest. My 10th grade World History teacher was one of the first teachers I had who I thought actually cared about her students—their well being, and their success in the class. She also was the teacher that helped inspire my interest in history as a subject. She also gave me the courage/confidence to take her AP Art History class the next year. After this, it was my 11th grade US History teacher and 12th grade Government teacher (who also was my mentor teacher during my year of student teaching) that really inspired me to pursue history past high school to see how much I could learn about the subject. This is where I first thought of becoming a teacher. I saw the impact/influence that my teachers had left on me. I went from being a more or less apathetic student to someone that gave their best effort in all of their classes, took AP classes during junior and senior year, and was planning to attend college. If it wasn’t for the teachers that I had in high school that believed in me and pushed me to excel, my life would be very different right now.
To end this meet-and-greet, we wanted to know if Mr. Rodriguez had some words of advice for surviving highschool.
Rodriguez replied, “I have a few different answers. It’s ok to struggle; it’s ok to make mistakes. Make the most of your high school experience. Spend time with those closest to you, and make as many memories as possible. Don’t be in a rush to experience post-high school life. High school is a very short 4 year experience. To a high schooler that may sound like forever, but once it’s done, it’s done. People will move on to the next phase of their lives (college, career, work, etc.), so it’s important to enjoy your time while it’s here. While you might remain friends with people from high school, those people might grow apart as they go down their own paths in life. This is not to say that you shouldn’t build yourself up for success or to not prioritize yourself for your own path in life, but take things as they come and make the most of your time here while you have it.”
Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez, for stepping up as the new U.S history teacher here at BHS. We’re excited to have you.
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