At Galileo Magnet High School, teachers are more than just educators—they’re individuals with unique backgrounds, interests, and experiences. In this candid interview, one of our dedicated staff members shares insights about life both inside and outside the classroom, from childhood career dreams and favorite memories to the friendships formed at Galileo. Through these reflections, we get a glimpse into the person beyond the teacher, revealing the diverse personalities that help shape our school’s welcoming and close-knit community.
If you had to switch classes with another teacher (you teach their class and they teach yours, not just people but subjects as well) who would it be?
Hmm, that is a good one. I think I would switch with Ms. Saunders for chemistry, because that was another class I did well in high school, and I almost contemplated double majoring, but could not handle the course load of both.
If you weren’t a teacher what would you be?
What I always wanted to be growing up as a kid was a pediatrician. I don’t like bodily fluids though. But if not, maybe Like, HR hiring? I think it’s fascinating meeting and learning about new people. So, that’d probably be my next one.
Have you ever felt like a parent to a student or appeared as a parental figure?
Have I felt that way? No, not in the full sense of like, all the responsibilities. Do I still call my students, my kids? Yes. And then I’ve had some people tell me that I’m like their mom.
Describe your experience with Galileo in one sentence?
From my teaching experience, I’ve been at three schools. So I would say Galileo has the most welcoming staff and allows students to freely be who they are and our community is welcoming and accepting of everybody and everyone knows everybody so I’ve never seen that before at any other school.
Do you think you have made any life long friends by working here?
Oh, yes I’m Ms. Kinnett’s mini me. Ms. Kinnett, Ms. Murphy, Ms. Goad, Ms. Ramsey, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Saunders, Ms. Presley, Ms. Martin, like literally almost everybody in this building. We all get along so well, so I love it.
What is one thing that students do or can do that makes your day just that much better?
Like teacher brain wise, I love it when they’re fully engaged and willing to be vulnerable to have the wrong answer. and for accepting it as their learning opportunity for growth. I love those moments, but I also love when I can just see who they are as a person and their silliness at times.
Is there any advice that you would give to students going through high school? Not advice from a teacher or staff member, but from someone who cares about them and knows what they are facing.
In high school I had strived to try to make it in the top 10, so I would always be on top of my classwork and see if there were any other things that I could be doing to set me apart from them in college applications. So I was involved in clubs and, you know, Still trying to balance having a life outside of it, but my parents were strict about my grades, so I would always Have my work done, always be studying, but still try to find moments to have fun. Like it’s not all serious. It doesn’t have to be.
Do you have a favorite story to tell about your life?
I don’t know, favorite or funny, but I would tie it together with both. One of my great memories is that my family always goes to Mexico, either every other year or every year we try. I remember growing up for Christmas, we always would have piñatas. And they were filled with candy, a little odd, but fruit and peanuts. That’s a typical way, I guess. And one year, my grandma was getting so upset that some of her grandchildren were not getting, I guess enough things in her opinion, from the pinata and she just dove into the crowd and was trying to get all the things.
Out of all the staff members at Galileo, who would you like to have in your class?
I think Mrs. Larking, she’s always so kind and positive. But I think having the positivity regardless, or like, when kids find things hard, I feel like she would be able to be like, It’s okay guys, we can do it! So yeah, Mrs. Larking.
What is something you wish that you would have learned or done sooner?
With my undergraduate degree, I did leadership studies, but I wish I would have done a double major with business administration. So that when I got my master’s, I could have had not that many more classes to have my MBA.
Out of all the staff at Galileo, who is the biggest softy?
Mr. Medlin. Mr. Medlin, he is sensitive, and he can seem tough, but he’s always at every student event, every fundraiser, so, he is a big softie.
What are some of your favorite things that you have learned while being a teacher?
Something that I’ve learned from students is that I don’t always have to be serious. That we can all have a relationship, a mutual relationship of respect and get things done, but still have fun. I don’t want math to be intimidating or unapproachable. Something that I’ve learned about myself is that I’ve always had room for growth. And I think in education we always have opportunities to excel or to take on forever learning.
What was your least favorite subject in school?
History. That’s the one thing that I just could not get into.
What did you want your job to be when you were a kid?
My very first one that I thought I wanted to do was to be a lawyer. So I was like, I would love to argue with everybody because I thought I knew everything. You know, what kid doesn’t? And then it switched to the pediatrician.
Out of all the staff at Galileo, who would you be interested in reading an interview like this on? Who do you think the student body should get to know better?
Mr. Weyler. I don’t feel like I know him well enough, so I would like to see his interview responses.
