Two-time alumnus Adrian Diaz views every class period, and every new academic year, as an opportunity to build relationships with hundreds of diverse students, each who “bring unique and valued contributions to our classroom, whether it be their language abilities, learning styles, prior knowledge, talents, or culture.” As an educator, he believes that authentic and candid learning experiences can only occur when a strong foundation, built upon positive student-teacher relationships, has been established, and approaches much of his work with the goal of building those relationships to “foster an affinity for learning science” in his students. 

Can you tell us about your current teaching position? Since 2017, I have had the privilege of teaching at Ramona High School in Riverside. Currently, I teach biology, AVID, medical biology, and anatomy/physiology. My biology is a life science course with a lab component required for graduation within our district. AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) is a college preparatory elective course geared at closing the achievement gap and preparing all students to be college/career ready. As a former AVID student and tutor of the program, I was honored to join our National Demonstration School’s AVID team this year as a means to further elevate students to reach their academic potential. My medical biology and anatomy/physiology courses are cohorts of our Health Careers Academy at Ramona High School; these particular students take courses that prepare them for careers and educational opportunities within the healthcare industry. 

In addition to teaching, I am involved in Ramona’s School Site Council, RUSD’s Professional Growth Systems Implementation Team/Advisory Committee, and am an advisor for our National Honor Society group on campus. 

What were some key experiences that inspired you to become a teacher? During my undergraduate studies at UC Riverside, I was employed by Alvord Unified School District at Loma Vista Middle School as an AVID tutor. The early onset and experience within the classroom provided me with rich opportunities to help students within their academic courses, build strong tutor-tutee relationships, and share insight and perspective with AVID students eager to learn more about opportunities beyond high school. It was during this time that I sensed an innate passion and gravitation towards the field of education as a possible career choice. I was enthralled by the process of helping students learn and problem-solve their academic difficulties, and equally important, witnessing their successes within the classroom. 

This experience led me to research the requirements needed to become a substitute teacher. From 2014-2017, I was hired as a certificated substitute teacher with the Jurupa and Alvord Unified School Districts where I had the opportunity to serve and teach various grade levels. I was able to implement and study various lesson plans and grade-level curriculums, develop classroom management practices, and collaborate with a diverse group of individuals ranging from different grade level teachers to administrators. 

Every single experience and interaction as a substitute teacher only confirmed and solidified my decision to pursue a career as an educator. In the summer of 2016, I enrolled in UCR GSOE’s  dual Master of Education/credential program. 

Can you talk about how the current situation with COVID-19 has impacted your classroom and role as an educator? My district, like so many others across the state and country, closed school sites on March 16^th due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, our district leadership and staff have worked tirelessly to provide students with meals for the week, develop distance learning curriculum, provide professional development opportunities, distribute electronic devices, and update all parties with transparent information. 

My particular school site is “one-to-one” in which all students are provided with Chromebooks at the start of each school year. As a result, all of my students are well-versed in utilizing technology and educational programs, such as Google Classroom, EdPuzzle, Gizmos, etc. I can assume the transition for my students into a distance learning platform was easier compared to other students and teachers who did not have prior and regular access to these educational tools. However, distance learning has made it difficult to reach and communicate with all of my students. Although I meet with my students virtually, I miss our personal interactions and a hands-on, collaborative learning environment that a virtual space cannot provide. 

How did the UCR teacher education program prepare you for the classroom? The teacher education program at UC Riverside maintains a reputation for producing educators who approach the craft of teaching through a lens of equity and culturally relevant practices. From the beginning, the program ensured that I had the necessary amount of experience within a classroom environment and coordinated with local school districts in Riverside County to allow me the opportunity to observe and student teach in conjunction with seasoned educators and specialists in their fields. 

Furthermore, the array of highly acclaimed researchers and faculty within the Graduation School of Education provided me with the core knowledge in educational theory and pedagogical practices needed for implementation within the classroom to foster learning for all of my students. I found relevance, value, and application in each course provided within the curriculum of the program, from restorative practices to strategies for English Language Learners to understanding the curriculum and framework of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). 

As a candidate, I found the consistent reflective practices and evaluation tools to be useful as a means to improve my capacity as a novice educator, but more importantly, to improve the learning trajectories of my students. This happens to be a method that I still employ as a tenured educator to decipher the best pedagogical practices needed to reach my diverse group of students. The unparalleled education and teaching experience gathered from the program has equipped me with a repertoire of tools needed for the dynamic field of education. 
 

What advice do you have for aspiring teachers, particularly aspiring male teachers of color? “According to the U.S. Department of Education, Latino and African American men represent a mere 2% of the teaching workforce nationally.” To men of color who are aspiring and/or working towards a career in education, we need you more than ever to diminish the disproportionality within the teaching workforce. 

Let the notion that “every student of color deserves to have a teacher of color within the classroom” fuel your drive to enter this profession. Imagine a classroom where Latinx or African American students see a reflection of themselves within you, and you, within them. Imagine the student-teacher relationships that can be built upon this paradigm. Imagine the extraordinary learning outcomes and trajectories of these students with you as their teacher.