Jason Aiken - high school teacher

Teaching

    I have decided to become a high school teacher because my favorite part of my career so far is teaching.  In the 1990's I appreciated the time I spent as a volunteer instructor for Sandia National Laboratories Education Outreach.  I would usually show a short experiment, and then help the students as they learned by attempting the experiment.  It was interesting and fulfilling.  Years later working at Dassault Systemes, I enjoyed teaching 11 different 3D software courses.  This led me to CATIA consulting, where I was able to help engineers use software to build 3D models.  Like my previous teaching experience, it was rewarding.

    Over the years, I have talked to high school classes about writing software and being an engineer.  I usually found talking to the students to be more satisfying than the work that I was telling them about.  So I have decided to become a full time teacher.

Teaching Credential Progress

I am currently enrolled at CSU Northridge.  I plan to finish the credential program in May 2017.

I have passed these tests:

• • CBEST

  • CSET science (test code 118 and 119)

  • CSET physics (test code 123)

  • CSET chemistry (test code 121)

  • CSET industrial technology 1 (test code 184)

To teach shop, I would also need to take "Industrial and Technology Education 2" (test code 185).  This can also be used as a qualification to teach computer science.

My priorities as a teacher

1 Safety

2 Obey the law

3 Follow school rules

4 Be positive and encouraging

5 Students get an introduction to physics

6 Help any student who needs help

7 Make the class fun

Interests and hobbies

    I have several hobbies.  For sports, I have fun body-boarding, skateboarding, playing water polo, basketball, and volleyball.  I used to appreciate coaching my kids basketball and softball teams.  I will likely apply to coach either basketball or volleyball after teaching for a few years.

    At home, I enjoy building loudspeakers and playing with electronics.  I am a current member of the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society, and a former member of the Audio Engineering Society.  My family sometimes makes fun of a question that I once asked my son, “Do you have any friends that like to solder?”  I guess most teenagers are not interested in electronics.