At which school in the district do you teach? 

In the high school.

What subject(s) do you teach?

English, specifically American Literature.

What grade (s) do you teach?

Mostly 10th, but sometimes 11th and 12th.

How long have you been teaching at SASD?

This year will be 23 years.

What is your favorite part about teaching?

I like that every day is different.  I could never work at a desk all day, or in a cubicle, every single day.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I could not do it. I would go stir crazy. I like the freedom to change things up each year, and the freedom to occasionally let the students decide the direction of the class.

So, some days I’m like the assistant coach, some days a drill sergeant, some days the nutty professor, and some days I get to break out my best pirate accent for reading Moby Dick or my southern drawl for Mark Twain. 

I love the energy and interaction with the kids in the classroom, and that’s one of the things I missed most when we had to teach remotely. 

If you could teach another subject what would it be and why?

Hmmm, I would love to teach psychology or health and nutrition. I love reading about those things in my free time. If I could study alternative medicine, I would totally do it. I have always believed that nature holds all the answers we need for medical advancements/cures; we just haven’t found them yet.   

What do you find most challenging about being a teacher?

Motivating students. I can teach you, guide you, wake you up, encourage you, or discipline you — but if you have no desire to learn — to change — to better yourself, then how can I educate you? 

What is your favorite quote and what does it mean to you? 

Some of my favorite motivational quotes come from Zig Ziglar. One of my favorites is this:  “If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you.

If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.”  I like this quote because it puts the onus on you.  You are in charge of your happiness, your success, your path — if you don’t like something, change it. Don’t make excuses. Don’t point the finger at blame. Own your choices, then do better, and move forward. 

If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?  

I think I would like to be invisible so I could secretly help catch the “bad guys” of the world. Of course, this would also allow me to play some awesome pranks on family and friends too.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Halloween of 2022. Ms. Krause and Mrs. Austin were the Grammar Police. Photo shared by J. Appolo