Getting to know our teachers
Teachers’ Day is celebrated on the birth anniversary of educationist Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
Since 1962, Teachers’ Day celebrations are done on Sept. 5 to pay tribute to his exceptional contributions to education.
In celebration of Teachers’ Day, Saipan Tribune picked the brains of five teachers on Saipan on what makes the profession so special.
Name: Tina Anglin
School: Saipan SDA
Teaching what grade: 1st grade
How long have you been a teacher: 5 years
What’s the funniest thing a student has ever said or done in your class?
Why is your battery empty don’t you have a charger?
What’s the most creative excuse you’ve ever heard from a student for missing an assignment?
My mom didn’t finished it yet.
If you could swap jobs with any other teacher in the school, whose job would you want and why?
I wouldn’t swap with any other teacher because the older students aren’t as fun and the lower students are too needy.
If you weren’t a teacher, what job do you think you’d be doing right now?
I would be a professional traveler.
What’s the funniest nickname you’ve ever had for a student?
Juicy Crab
How would your past students describe you?
Strict but loving and fun
What are your interests or hobbies outside of the classroom?
Traveling and exploring.
What was your favorite subject when you were a student, and why?
Math because it was a universal language and there were very little variables.
What’s one thing you say so often in class that you might as well put it on a T-shirt?
Try your very best!
What’s one school supply item you can’t live without (besides a pen or computer)?
Laminating sheets and cardstock paper
What inspired you to become a teacher?
I wouldn’t say I was inspired. For years I tried to stay out of the classroom, but I was always drawn to teaching. Teaching was where I find joy and peace watching the light bulbs flicker on for my students and their joy for learning.
What is a typical day in your classroom?
Every morning, we start with the same routine, we have our morning meeting on the carpet, I check for students’ emotions, if they are sad or upset, I find out why and what I can do to help them have a more pleasant day. Then we have Intervention/Morning work during this time I review information taught the previous day and/or week. This helps to keep the information relevant and make it concrete. Then we get a brain break before heading into Language Arts, which is broken into four key components: Phonics, Reading, Comprehension and Writing. This helps my students to understand what they are learning and how it all applies to each other. Then they have P.E. I’m sure it is secretly their favorite class. After which we have Bible where students can explore and learn about God and the wonderful world He’s gifted us. By this time everyone is watching the clock for lunch, after lunch students engage in math story’s, interactive games and movement, then it’s on to the math lesson. After math we enjoy some more movement with recess, then end our day with science or history.
What’s the most unforgettable classroom moment you’ve experienced as a teacher?
For me it’s all about growth, so for me it was reading my students growth report looking at where they started and where they were now.
What is your favorite subject to teach and why?
I would say math and science, they are easier to explain and have more creative activities.
What do you like most about teaching?
Watch my students grow.
Describe a troubling student you’ve taught (without naming names) and what you’ve done to get through to them?
My most troubling student was a kindergartener who refused to work and interfered with other students’ learning. To try reaching him I showed him extra love, something I believed he was lacking at home. When he came in each morning, I would meet him in the hallway and give him a big hug, he would get to be my personal bodyguard. It worked for a while, but the home life got worse, so his behavior declined again, he was then removed from our school.
How do you motivate your students to become active learners in your classroom?
I give my students the opportunity to teach, and consistently celebrate their efforts wrong or write once they try, I can see where to help them. I also give positive reinforcement and student shout outs to parents.
How do you manage work-life balance as a teacher, given the demands of the profession?
Sometimes you just must close your eyes to the papers that need to be graded, the assignments that need to be created and just watch a movie or hang out with friends. I try to take at least 1 hour of wind down time after work to decompress.
Can you share a challenging experience you faced as a teacher and how you overcame it?
The most challenging experience I have faced would be uninvolved parents, especially with students below grade level. How I overcame it was reminding myself that I can only be the best teacher for these students, and improve the skills I can in the classroom.
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Name: Ms. Bona V. Angeles
School: Green Meadow School
Teaching what grade: 2nd grade
How long have you been a teacher: 28 years
What’s the funniest thing a student has ever said or done in your class?
I had a new hair style and my student said, “Teacher, I like your wig!”
What’s the most creative excuse you’ve ever heard from a student for missing an assignment?
My Mom forgot to place it back in my bag.
If you could swap jobs with any other teacher in the school, whose job would you want and why?
Teacher Elvie Pangelinan’s job. She takes things easily and always take challenges and never gives up.
If you werem’t a teacher, what job do you think you’d be doing right now?
I will be a nurse.
What’s the funniest nickname you’ve ever had for a student?
“Ming-ming”—the student of mine eats next to me and falling asleep easily on my lap.
How would your past students describe you?
A very strict teacher but can bring out the best in everyone.
What are your interests or hobbies outside of the classroom?
Gardening and cleaning the house.
What was your favorite subject when you were a student and why?
Physical education. I love dancing and swimming. I trained my students in the Philippines and they got scholarships in high school because of the skills I taught them.
What’s one school supply item you can’t live without (besides a penpr computer)?
A notebook, where I write my to-do-list things every morning.
What inspired you to become a teacher?
My mother who was a teacher and my 4th grade teacher Mrs. Duran. She was very strict but full of love and dedication to us students.
What is a typical day in your classroom?
There is mixed atmosphere. During lesson time, we enjoyed learning together by infusing jokes but when it’s time for activity, I am very strict to finish their work on time!
What is the most unforgettable moment you’ve experienced as a teacher?
When my student joined a contest and dress our class and wrote, “Teacher Bona wants us to be the best! He won and I was so proud!
What is your favorite subject to teach and why?
Bible—it is my happiness to make my students know how to prayand will have a good relationship with God.
What do you like most about teaching?
When I see my students believing that I want them to be the best.
Describe a troubling student you’ve taught (without naming names) and what you’ve done to get through to them?
A student whose having difficulty focusing. I searched ways and applied. Later on the student excelled in extra-curricular activities and alter on improved in academics.
How do you motivate your students to become active learners in your classroom?
Developing trust and confidence are the keys. I make them believe that they can make it if they do their best. I showered them with good compliments.
How do you manage work-life balance as a teacher, given the demands of the profession?
At 56, it is only now that I realized that I am poor at balancing work and life. It is funny that I am just starting to have time with any personal life.
Can you share a challenging experience you faced as a teacher and how you overcame it?
Every year is challenging because I always aim to make a difference in the lives of my students.
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Name: Julie Harrison
School: Grace Christian Academy
Teaching what grade: High School English and Science
How long have you been a teacher: 7 years
What’s one thing you say so often in class that you might as well put it on a T-Shirt?
I asked my students this one and they responded either: “You Got This!” or “Intriguing.”
If you weren’t a teacher, what job do you think you’d be doing right now?
I’d likely be a camp director. From attending camps yearly as a kid, to being a camp counselor once older, camps have a special place in my heart. Who wouldn’t want to be part of creating memorable ways to learn, grow, and to freely have fun with others … not to mention having a job where you mostly get to play games.
What was your favorite subject when you were a student, and why?
Science! I have never not been fascinated by the concepts of science! I especially enjoyed middle school science because my teachers made everything hands-on, fun, and gave many visuals that help us conceptualize complicated inner workings or processes, many of which I now incorporate with my student’s today.
What’s the most creative excuse you’ve ever heard from a student for missing an assignment?
I’m not sure if it is the most creative, but one student told me that I had not assigned it to them, but only their classmates.
What are your interests or hobbies outside of the classroom?
I’m involved with Zumba and volleyball, but I also like walking, rollerblading, marine biology, reading, and sleeping.
How do you manage work-life balance as a teacher, given the demands of the profession?
Though the process of balancing our work with a life outside of teaching still feels like a learning curve for me, God is the voice I can rely on to call me out when I’m unbalanced and to guide me back to becoming balanced when I’m unsure how it’s possible with all the work that must be done. Becoming part of M2 Fitness has also been a life changer for me in this regard. Yes, daily workout classes help with my health, but it has also opened the doors to a new community outside of school, introduced a fun outlet for any stresses of my day, and made me more aware of other events going on in the overall community to get involved in. Being part of something more than just our individual schools is key to helping us ensure balance.
What’s the most unforgettable classroom moment you’ve experienced as a teacher?
In the years that I teach AP Language and Composition, we always have a Creative Arguments Project where the students argue a stance about something that they care about through a creative medium. We’ve had dramatic monologues, paintings, songs, board games, Minecraft and tangible sculptures, interactive websites, short stories, poems, and so many others. Though entertaining, it is the content of these projects that, though I can’t say it is one unforgettable moment, are the most memorable moments I’ve had in any of my classes. I have been astounded and often moved to tears by what is produced. The majority of students choose extremely personal topics and thus their products often offer deep connection with or between students, helps bring understanding, ignites conversations and even self-reflection that I’ve seen students ponder for days.
What do you like most about teaching?
The kids/ students. Having the honor and privilege to know them is something I hope I never take for granted. Each day, even the bad ones, always seems to have at least one: funny comment, smile, hug, thoughtful word, new trait revealed, heartfelt answer, deep discussion, life changing revelation, victory over a trial, or excitement in their eyes when they really understand something new. Our students are not always the easiest to manage and they don’t always want to learn what we are teaching them, but their hearts are worth all the effort, time, and attention in the world, and their lives are worthy of investment.
Describe a troubling student you’ve taught and what you’ve done to get through to them.
Honestly I don’t feel that I need to mention only one troubling student to answer this question because what’s worked in getting through to them, regardless of their trouble or root of their trouble, has been the same. Being patient, speaking positively, and making time to be there when they need you. Whether the student threw highly emotive fits amid stressful moments, stole and intimated peers through threats, fervently fought the simplest of rules, or simply refused to communicate at all, they all eventually reached out after realizing that regardless of what they did or how they treated me, it did not change how I responded to or treated them. They reached out after realizing that amid their behavior, I still had positive things to say about them and expected their best even though their “history” said it was unlikely. But what I have also learned, through a few unfortunate experiences, was that if they finally reach out and you don’t make the time to be there for them, undistracted, they may just slam that door shut and never open it again.
What inspired you to become a teacher
I was actually planning on becoming a veterinary technician, eventually to emerge into the research fields of marine biology, when I was first applying to colleges. But God had other plans and within a few weeks, I was at a college I hadn’t even considered and was studying to become a teacher. This did make sense though as I always loved school growing up. My sister and I used to play school for fun even before we were old enough to attend. I liked to learn and I was blessed with a good and engaging public education that was filled with good academic memories and teachers.
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Name: Gospel Trinidad
School: Agape Christian School
Teaching what grade: 9th- 12th
How long have you been a teacher: 9 years
What’s the funniest thing a student has ever said or done in your class?
A group of students did not want to waste this fruit, so they decided to give this fruit to me. It came to the point of me being called the “Monkey King” because I had a pile of bananas on my desk. This went on each time bananas were served during lunchtime. The excuse was that they were tired of it.
What’s the most creative excuse you’ve ever heard from a student for missing an assignment?
“Royal (the school dog) ate my homework.”
If you could swap jobs with any other teacher in the school, whose job would you want and why?
I would want to swap with the P.E. teacher because they get to play games or sports.
If you weren’t a teacher, what job do you think you’d be doing right now?
I would probably be working in the hospital as a nurse or doing missionary work.
What’s the funniest nickname you’ve ever had for a student?
The students usually come up with funny nicknames of their own that they coined for each other in their language. One entire class specifically based their nickname on their personality mixed with an animal or item they looked like. To give an example, one was drawn to look like a book that has the facial features of Albert Einstein because that student loves to read about astronomy and to learn physics.
How would your past students describe you?
Someone who is like an older sister to them. Someone who listens to their concerns, understands them, prays for them, and encourages them with God’s Words.
What are your interests or hobbies outside of the classroom?
I do have a lot of interests, but recently it’s watching interior design of tiny homes or van living. One of my hobbies is to recompose hymnals.
What was your favorite subject when you were a student, and why?
Geography, because my teacher made us draw the entire world map labeling all countries, states, and capitals of the world as our final exam. It was memorable. However, cooking, sharing, and eating the food based on our chosen country for our project in class made me love geography class even more.
What’s one thing you say so often in class that you might as well put it on a T-shirt?
“Any prayer requests? Let’s pray” or “Class, do you have any questions, comments, or concerns?”
What’s one school supply item you can’t live without (besides a pen or computer)?
My journal notebook.
What inspired you to become a teacher?
After graduating from nursing, I went straight to teaching middle school students without any background in teaching. However, after a year of teaching, guiding, encouraging, and disciplining this group of students, I realized how much seeing them grow in understanding and character inspired me to want to teach them and learn from them.
What is a typical day in your classroom?
We always start the class with prayer. Then, we have our assessments or go over assignments. Or, we go straight to the lessons or activities. Then, we reflect on or review the lessons. I give the assignments. After that, we go to the next class.
What’s the most unforgettable classroom moment you’ve experienced as a teacher?
The most unforgettable classroom moment was when we got to cook different main dishes in Life Skills class, make ice cream for Physical Science class, act different characters in Speech Class, create a song and sing it in English Class, and many more.
What is your favorite subject to teach and why?
Speech class is my favorite subject to teach because I get to see students get out of their comfort zone, showcase their acting skills, and just have fun in class.
What do you like most about teaching?
It is when I have the chance to share the gospel message about Jesus Christ with my students because it is not only a part of the ministry of a Christian school but also an act of service, responsibility, and obedience before my God.
Describe a troubling student you’ve taught (without naming names) and what you’ve done to get through to them?
Getting through some students I encountered in my years of teaching was being able to listen to them and pray for them and with them, even if it meant sacrificing your time to make sure their voice was heard.
How do you motivate your students to become active learners in your classroom?
Be equally active with them. Be spontaneous. Be concise and clear in giving instructions. Connect lessons related to their generation. Give constructive feedback. Be real with them.
How do you manage work-life balance as a teacher, given the demands of the profession?
I cannot. I am not a great person to ask how to manage and balance work and life. However, all I can say is that God is my strength, my fortress, and my foundation. With Him, I can do what I cannot.
Can you share a challenging experience you faced as a teacher and how you overcame it?
Each day will be filled with challenges. There are good days and there are bad days. Yet, at the end of each day, I am always reminded to be grateful, to be content, and to focus on the present. The best way for me is to leave all my worries in the hands of God, to put my faith and trust in Him knowing everything is under His control, and to continuously pray, read His words, and meditate on His promises because I know my God is good. Deuteronomy 31:8 KJV “And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”
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Name: Ms. April Liske-Clark
School: Saipan International School
Teaching what grade: 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th, and 11th
How long have you been a teacher: 7 years
What’s the funniest thing a student has ever said or done in your class?
I am not sure I can pick just one thing. It all runs together. There is not a day that goes by that my hands do not cover my face to hide my laughter or I just look off into space with a dumb founded expression because I just don’t know what to say next to something that a student has said. Example one: What is a beer? Now take into mind I had to tread lightly as I did not know where this was coming from. He was reading his notes and I was a bit confused. We had not talked about beer. This was from a 6th grader. I looked down at his notes and discovered that he had misspelled “deer”. I said “I think you mean “deer”. He said, “yah, okay well I don’t know what that is either.”
What’s the most creative excuse you’ve ever heard from a student for missing an assignment?
Honestly my kids don’t come up with new things, it’s always the same. No wifi, bad wifi, my mom/dad won’t let me use my device, I forgot it (but then I call mom/dad to send me a picture of the homework, and they usually fess up that they didn’t do it). (I have parents on speed dial LOL)
If you could swap jobs with any other teacher in the school, whose job would you want and why?
Sorry but no way, I love science.
If you weren’t a teacher, what job do you think you’d be doing right now?
I am also a licensed RN, so I would be working at the hospital.
What’s the funniest nickname you’ve ever had for a student?
Jumper
How would your past students describe you?
I hope that they would say that I was fun, and that I made learning science fun. They would for sure say that I liked video games. The kids seem to think it is funny that an old lady teacher likes video games.
What are your interests or hobbies outside of the classroom?
I like scuba diving, training my dog, playing video games, and playing soccer.
What was your favorite subject when you were a student, and why?
I loved math and science. I love to solve problems.
What’s one thing you say so often in class that you might as well put it on a T-shirt?
BUTT… CHAIR… NOW…
What’s one school supply item you can’t live without (besides a pen or computer)?
Projector
What inspired you to become a teacher?
I always loved the idea of helping to inspire people to love and enjoy science and math the way I do. I had great teachers when I was young who made a lasting impact on my life. I wanted to be that for someone, creating a sense of wonder in the classroom and helping students discover their potential. Being able to ignite curiosity, provide support, and help students overcome challenges is what motivated me to become a teacher.
What is a typical day in your classroom?
A day, prep, then two periods of Bio 9th, 6th grade science, lunch 7th grade science, then I run an Environmental Sustainability Elective. B days. I have two periods of 10th grade Chemistry, then 2 periods of AP Biology, 7th grade science, lunch, then 6th grade science. I also run an after school Environmental Club, and coach Elementary Co-Ed Soccer, as well as Middle School Girls Soccer at the moment, all while also being the K-12 RN
What is your favorite subject to teach and why?
My favorite subject to teach is science, which I have the pleasure of teaching to students from 6th to 11th grade. Choosing a favorite grade level, however, is much more difficult because each brings a unique perspective. In middle school, there’s a sense of wonder, curiosity, and amazement as students explore the world of science for the first time. In high school, that curiosity evolves into determination, as students begin to carve out their own paths in life. It’s truly a privilege to guide them along that journey.
What do you like most about teaching?
What I love most about teaching is, simply put, the kids. They keep me on my toes with their brilliant—and sometimes wonderfully unexpected—questions that challenge me to think in new ways. I have a passion for problem-solving and continuous learning, and my students help fuel that. No one knows everything, and with 120 curious minds asking questions each day, I’m constantly learning something new alongside them. It’s one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching.
Describe a troubling student you’ve taught (without naming names) and what you’ve done to get through to them?
Science is an ideal subject for students with an overactive mind because it’s naturally hands-on, creative, and full of opportunities for curiosity. It allows them to think outside the box—because, in science, there is no box. I challenge these students to embrace their unique way of thinking. Many of them have brilliant minds; they just approach problems differently than those who can sit still in a desk. While I teach them strategies to help with other subjects, in science, I give them the freedom to let their minds roam. These “outside-the-box” thinkers, who see a hundred ways to solve a problem, are exactly the kind of minds we need in our future think tanks.
How do you motivate your students to become active learners in your classroom?
I motivate my students to become active learners by creating a classroom environment that encourages curiosity, collaboration, and hands-on engagement. I design lessons to challenge their minds while incorporating various learning styles—visual, auditory, and touch—to ensure every student can connect with the material in a way that works best for them. I try and make real-world connections with interactive activities; I make learning feel relevant and exciting. I encourage students to ask questions, think critically, and explore ideas freely. When students feel their ideas matter and that their unique strengths are valued, they are more eager to participate and stay involved.
April Liske-Clark
Bona Angeles
Gospel Trinidad
Julie Harrison
Tina Anglin
