Victoria Sandoval has worked at St. Margaret Mary in Chino for five years. Previously, she taught at St. Pius X in Santa Fe Springs for four years. She currently teaches fifth grade and has also taught fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade before.
As part of our series on Catholic school teachers in the Diocese, Herrera sat down with the BYTE to tell us a little about herself and her life as a teacher at St. Margaret Mary.
BYTE: So you’ve taught a few grades over the years, is there a certain grade that you found that you preferred, and what do you enjoy about teaching fifth grade right now?
Sandoval: I really like fifth grade because they’re at that age where they’re still excited about learning and you can have more meaningful discussions, especially when it comes to reading or to social studies or what’s going on in the world, you know, they’re more aware so it’s good to have those conversations with them.
BYTE: What made you want to start teaching in the first place, was it something that you knew you always wanted to do as you were growing up?
Sandoval: I’ve always loved teaching. I used to play school with my younger brothers and cousins. And then my mom was also a teacher, and then my dad’s a professor, so I always say it’s in my blood to teach as well. And I also had really good teachers, too, that I remember from growing up; I definitely steal some ideas from them.
BYTE: What would you say you enjoy the most about teaching?
Sandoval: I would say getting to be creative when it comes to lesson design or setting up the classroom or the learning environment and being able to teach them something in a fun way that’s unique and memorable for them.
BYTE: What are some examples of a way you’ve implemented something creatively in teaching?
Sandoval: Well, I love music. And I love the Jonas Brothers, too. So for one of my lessons for figurative language, we listened to some Jonas Brothers songs, and we found some examples of similes and metaphors and things like that.
BYTE: What do you enjoy about teaching at a Catholic school in particular?
Sandoval: Definitely getting to share my faith with them and during the pandemic, be able to pray with them, during these crazy times just knowing that, okay, God has a plan, and we’re gonna get through this. It’s such a blessing.
BYTE: All right, the last thing would just be to ask a little bit about you. Do you have a favorite saint or Bible verse that you want to share? And what do you like to do in your free time when you’re not teaching?
Sandoval: So first, favorite Bible verse would be Proverbs 4:13: “Hold on to instruction. Do not let it go, for it is your life.” And that one, just because being a lifelong learner, and not just teaching the information, but learning it myself, I think is so important. And so like with the pandemic, having to learn all these new technological things, it was helpful just to have that mindset of like, I’m going to keep learning about my faith, keep learning about my job, and all those things. You know, it makes life more exciting that way.
And then when I’m not teaching... I like to read, I’m a big bookworm. And I have three brothers so we’re always out doing something, like Dodger games was a good pastime for us this past summer, or going to Disneyland is always fun, too. And I like to try new restaurants and see family and friends. I’m very much a homebody, but I do just like being with family.