My Journey to StellartopiaWhen it comes to teaching I am a true Renaissance Man (Bonus points for any student who can tell me what it means to be a Renaissances Man). I love teaching and I love learning new ways to get my students excited about learning the coolest subject ever: History.
Here's a little of my own history on how I found my way to Stellartopia for your enjoyment. I graduated from Chico State with a BS in construction management. It took me almost 9 years to earn my degree. I know what your thinking, "Nine years Mr. Yates, you could've been a doctor with that much education." That is true, but doctors see more blood than I do as a teacher and I'm good with that. The truth is it took me so long because I couldn't decide what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a writer, a high adventure guide, a builder, an architect, and a teacher. Finally, a milestone happened in my life that forced me to choose a career path, I got married and had kids. So there I was, living the dream working long hours as an estimator for a tile subcontractor in the bay area. Even though that may sound exciting, living in a noisy apartment building, paying high rent, pushing through traffic every morning and night, and spending 10-12 hours a day counting kitchen tiles just wasn't what I thought my post-college life was going to be like. So I went back to school and earned my masters in education. This time, it only took me two years. I originally planned on teaching math, but my real passion has always been history. I was very lucky and blessed that when I finished my student teaching there was an opening at Stellar Charter School for a history teacher. I don't know if it was my charm, my impressive intellect, or the fact I was wearing my lucky tie (never underestimate the power of a good tie) but I won the hearts of Mrs. Funari and fellow Stellartopian teachers. So now I'm living the Stellartopia Dream. I wake up every morning loving life because I get to teach the coolest subject to the best students a teacher could ask for. |
Mr yates Fun Facts
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