Sherisse Benavidez, high school English teacher

Q: What classes do you teach?

A: English I, English ll, English l honors, and American Literature.

Q: What would you say is your favorite class to teach?

A: I’ve taught English l before and I’ve taught English ll, but I’ve never taught American Literature and we’re reading the ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ which if you know anything about that it’s pretty crazy. I think it’s going to be a pretty interesting conversation. Pretty interesting discussions in class so I’m excited about that.

Q: What were you doing before working at GCAA?

A: Well, I’m from Texas.

Q: Where exactly?

A: San Antonio, Texas. I just finished my master’s degree at Texas A&M University, I don’t know if anybody knows about it here but, finished that degree. I moved here in August and I just started substituting and then landed this position.

Q: What is something that you want people to know about you?

A: I’m a very nice person, but I don’t think that means that you should or at least students, I don’t think students should disrespect me or take advantage of how nice I am. I’m still a person, I’m still a human being.

Q: What would be a long term goal for students in your class?

A: I want to fix anything that they feel is broken as far as grades as far as like how they…the kind of, what’s the word? Stigma that they have about English class. I want to help them realize that English is important. Reading books is important. Hopefully by the end of the school year we have some kind of avid readers and writers.

Q: What are you most looking forward to at GCAA?

A: I’m excited about all the arts. I’ve never been at a school that was so focused and revolved around dancing, music, painting, and stuff. All the previous schools that I’ve been at have always been focused around STEM, which is not a bad thing, but it’s really nice to see that students are allowed to express themselves here.

Q: What do you think is the best method of learning? Or what is your philosophy on student learning and different methods you prefer?

A: I think students really learn when you can relate whatever we’re learning in class to whatever’s going on outside of class, including student home, including like just the city or just the surrounding area that they live in. Yeah, I think anytime a student can relate to something that we’re learning and if it’s not an outdated topic or an outdated piece of literature. Or if it is, I think teachers should find a way to relate it to something that’s more modern; articles, news stories, etcetera.

Q: Is there anything else you want to add?

A: People all over the world fight for education and literally die trying just to try to go to school regularly. A lot of people or a lot of students don’t have or a lot of children don’t have accessibility to education and learning and I don’t know, I don’t think students should take advantage of education. Even if they don’t like a certain subject I think they should at least try.