The Wrangler: What is the best part about being a teacher? 

Mr. Tran: My best part about being a teacher is seeing a light bulb go off when students are trying to learn. “Ohh I understand that,” it’s just seeing students understand what they’ve learnt and how they’ve achieved a difficult concept that makes a teacher’s day. 

The Wrangler: Were you interested in environmental science in general before being a teacher of the course? 

Mr. Tran: No, I’ve never been interested in environmental science, but I’ve always loved learning. I’d never learned about environmental science [before teaching it] but learning new concepts brings me joy and I hope I can pass that joy on to my students. 

The Wrangler: What is your favorite hobby and why? 

Mr. Tran: My favorite hobby would be just watching tv shows. From true crime to sci–fi, to the superhero genre, and new possibilities are always exciting. 

The Wrangler: With COVID-19 still present, there have been many modifications in America’s educational system, such as virtual learning with the assistance of zoom. How do you feel about the dramatic shift as a teacher at George Ranch?  

Mr. Tran: I think all the teachers at George Ranch are trying their best and it is definitely a new adjustment for all of us, and as long as we are giving our all we hope our students can see the effort we’re putting forth.  

The Wrangler: When/how did you realize that becoming a teacher was a passion for you? 

Mr. Tran: I always thought that teaching was a good career because I get the opportunity to pass on what I knew, but I truly found it to be the passion of mine during my third year of teaching at George Ranch because my students truly loved learned naturally that year and I wanted to teach students to naturally love learning as I do.  

The Wrangler: What college did you attend, what did you major in, and why? 

Mr. Tran: I went to Texas A&M and majored in nutritional science because my first goal in life was to be a general practitioner, so in order to prevent the diseases in patients I needed to change the nutrition and lifestyles and that is why I wanted to major in nutrition. 

The Wrangler: Did your major help realize your goal of being a teacher? 

Mr. Tran: My major made me realize because as I was going through college I need to get a job to pay for extra food, so I became a supplemental instructor of chemistry and organic chemistry. I got to tutor a lot of students with my own lessons, [which] helped me realize that I wanted to go into teaching. 

The Wrangler: Did you experience any struggles during your first few months of becoming a teacher? What kind? 

Mr. Tran: Yes, there will always be struggles for any first-year teachers since we do not have any prior experience teaching in our own classroom, but we have observed other teachers, and still need to make our own decisions, which is difficult. The primary toll for me is classroom management, and getting my students to pay attention or do classwork was a challenge for me and I had to set my expectations high. 

The Wrangler: How were you able to get through the obstacles you experienced to get where you are now? 

Mr. Tran: All first-year teachers need someone to bounce off of. I would always go to my mentor and explain to him and take his suggestions to heart and always follow through, and I would also always have a heart-to-heart with students because I always want what is best for them. 

The Wrangler: What advice would you give your students to help them succeed in their purpose later on in life? 

Mr. Tran: My advice would be that to achieve what you want in life you must have two things: perseverance and patience. I chose perseverance because I tell my students not to give up, and in addition, the things you want in life do not come immediately do you must have patience. As you continue to do what you want in life, great things will come your way if you obtain these two things.