One of RHS’s Favorite Substitute Teachers: Mr. Ricky!

When you walk into a classroom and don’t see your teacher, you usually feel a little bit of panic brewing in your stomach. But, if a student doesn’t see their teacher and instead sees Mr. Ricky, you know you’re in for a good day.

Mr. Ricky, as he’s affectionately called by students, isn’t his last name; it’s Luong. As an alumni of Rosemead High School and now student teacher in the RHS Math Department, we decided to interview him as a newspaper staff because of the positive impression he’s left with me and many of my classmates. 

Q: What has allowed you to be with our district for such a long time?

A: I have stayed with the district for 4 years now, and I think a big part of that is just how much I enjoy working with the students here [at RHS]. 

Q: Why do RHS students enjoy having you as their substitute teacher? 

A: While I cannot directly speak on behalf of the students, I believe that part of it comes from how I take my time to get to know the students. 

Q: Since you substitute [teach] for many different subjects, what do you do to help students better understand subjects they may be struggling in?

A: As a teacher, I try to have students lean into the struggle. I like to give them just enough information so that they can come to the answers themselves. I want my students to “struggle” because it is through that struggle that they would come out understanding the material better as well as becoming a better thinker.  

Q: As a substitute teacher, how do you get along with your students? How do you help them since you’re only with them for a day?

A: One of the things that I do to get along with my students is referencing details that they have mentioned to me in the past. I might ask them about the concert they were telling me about, or I might be curious about some of their hobbies that they have shown me. From there, it is mostly just listening to them with genuine interest. At the same time, I might share something about myself, so that they know a bit about me as well. In regards to helping my students, I try to figure out what each student needs. A lot of the time, they just need someone to connect to. I found that building strong relationships with students has allowed me to help my students both academically and emotionally. 

Q: What are one of your goals as a teacher?

A: One of my goals as a teacher is to help students understand how enjoyable it is to learn something, whether that is math or any other subject. I feel like a lot of students associate learning with something that they have to do, but I want to get them to a point where they are actively wanting to learn something.

Q: Why do you like substituting so much?

A: One of the benefits of being a substitute teacher rather than a regular, full-day teacher is that I have the freedom to interact with students. I’ve been able to have a lot of important conversations with students, and I also get to see them grow as academics. 

Q: How long have you been in the teaching field? 

A: I have been teaching for 9 years. I started as a tutor at Muscatel Junior High School in 2016, and then moved on to being a substitute teacher while tutoring at an afterschool program nearby RHS’s campus. 

Q: What is your favorite subject to substitute teach for?

A: My favorite subject to teach in school is math. I particularly enjoy the higher level maths because there is more room for exploration in those topics. It is very satisfying to see students wonder until something clicks for them. 

Q: How has it been being a student teacher here at RHS?

A: It has been pretty good. It is tiring, but I am learning from Ms. Chang, who is a great teacher, along with a really good set of students. I feel like I am able to delve deeper into the topics that we are learning and it is nice when I hear students are understanding the material. 

Next time you see Mr. Ricky as your substitute teacher, or in Ms. Chang’s classroom as a student teacher, please say hi! He will genuinely ask how you are doing.