I earned my Bachelors of Arts in English at California State University, Fullerton and my Masters of Arts in English with a focus on Rhetoric at the University of California, Irvine.
I have taught at UHS for the last 20 years. I also am an undergraduate professor at Azusa Pacific University.
I have worked at private schools here in the states and in Taiwan. I have taught English and History in kindergarten, 2nd Grade and Junior High. I also worked as a systems analyst at Southern California Edison.
On my spare time I write science fiction, fantasy, horror stories. I also fence and train with the rapier and epee. Aside from that I like RTS strategy games, chess, Settlers of Catan, Dungeons & Dragons, and Ticket to Ride. I do Renaissance & Colonial reenactments.
I believe that normal people’s brains are capable of incredible things. Not just who society or tests label as geniuses or “gifted” people.
I want to show people just what they can actually do--which is much more than they believe, have been taught, or told they can do.
High School students today are every bit as capable of writing a serious academic paper (15-30 pages) or memorizing poetry as any college student.
Normal, average, people their age have been doing it for centuries-- their brains certainly can handle it. Most mental roadblocks preventing them to do amazing things are because of misinformation or bad experiences.
I show them by teaching Research in a different way: through practical experiences that people can apply immediately to their daily life. I show them by not watering down or shortening the work or texts.
I try to be real, upfront, and truthful when it comes to my expectations for my students.