Westmoore High School Teacher of the Month is Erin Michener. VYPE Magazine caught up with Mrs. Michener to learn more about her and her career as an educator. 

VYPE: How long have you worked as an educator, and have you spent all of that time at Westmoore? 

Michener: This is my tenth year officially teaching in my own classroom. It’s my sixth year at Westmoore; I’m originally from California and I taught in a few different districts, including student teaching, and substituting, throughout different areas of California. I also taught in Prague, Czech Republic, after college.

VYPE: What subject(s) do you teach and what grade? 

Michener: I currently teach English III (11th grade) and AP English Language and Composition.

VYPE: What do you enjoy most about being an educator? 

Michener: The creativity in solving the riddle of lesson planning for diverse students.

VYPE: What is the most rewarding aspect of your job as an educator? 

Michener: Seeing students’ skills improve. I always try to have a semester final, especially second semester final, that is some kind of big project that allows students to showcase how their skills have developed. I love it when they realize that they can do something that they previously thought they couldn’t.

VYPE: Where did you go to college? 

Michener: I got my bachelor’s from San Diego State University, my Single Subject Teaching Credential in English from California State University, San Bernardino, and my Master’s from California State University, Stanislaus.

VYPE: What advice would you give a student who would like to become an educator?

Michener: It takes a lot of dedication and hard work. Know your values because your values help you distinguish what kind of teacher you are and help you establish boundaries. 

VYPE: Who was the teacher(s) that left an impression on you when you were a student?

Michener: I always think of my twelfth grade AP English Literature teacher, Mr. Stanford, as a model for teaching. His writing assignments allowed me to express myself and he encouraged that, so I was able to find my voice in his class.