Teacher by Day, Student by Night

OLIVIA Cheung
Editor in Chief

It is 6:13 A.M. She is late, she reckons; she should have been out the door 13 minutes ago. Armed with a protein shake in hand, she releases a sigh of relief when she remembers that her car’s clock is set 13 minutes forward, part of an intricate design to prevent tardiness.

Though some students may only see the concept of adaptation as part of her curriculum, she has learned first-hand how to adapt and survive on an average of five hours of sleep per night. Besides teaching students from 7:45 A.M. to 2:41 P.M., she herself is a student on Wednesdays and Thursdays, as part of her online Master’s program in School Leadership with an Administrative Credential at the University of Southern California (USC).

With a heavy workload, rough days are common; aside from indulging in daily photos and videos of her two nephews to brighten her days, her students are also reminders of why sleepless nights and exhausting days are bearable. Teaching has never been an afterthought; unlike many individuals, her career was finalized since she was ten years old. Surrounding herself with teenagers who constantly confuse and surprise her reminds her that she learns as much from them as they do from her.

It is 12:31 A.M. She should be in bed, she tells herself, but she blinks away the exhaustion and refocuses on her synthesis paper. Sleep can wait.

Guess who?
Answer: Ms. Castro