Teacher Feature: Matt M.

Matt is one of our top teachers and we can’t recommend him enough! Parents have referred to him as a 10/10 and we couldn’t agree more. He has been working with students since 2008 and with Pacific Preparatory, Matt teaches English, history and government.

About Matt

Matt graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in English. He began teaching ESL as a student at Michigan State for international students before being hired by the Federal government's No Child Left Behind program. He also served as a College Admissions Specialist, helping students gain admission to MIT, Yale, Berkley, USC, and other top universities. Matt is well versed in common core and guided reading, and believes in using universal learning design to reach all learners. Matt personalizes his lessons to each individual student’s learning style to promote comprehensive understanding of material. He has experience working with students who are challenged by anxiety and attention disorders and feels comfortable supporting students with learning differences.

When did you start teaching and why?

I started teaching my sophomore year in college. I was working this dreadful job at a sandwich shop right across from campus and I thought to myself, there's got to be a better way to make some money. The next semester I had a class right next to the International Student Center and I saw a sign that said "ESL Tutor Needed!" so I applied. By the time my class had ended I had a voicemail asking me for an interview and by the end of the week I had my first student.

What’s your favorite subject to teach and why?

I love teaching history. So often teaching history gets bogged down by teaching names and dates but it is so much more than that. History has to be about the why and the lessons we can learn from it. In the same way that English teachers ask students to understand narratives and themes of literature, history has to be taught to recognize patterns and values. I also love history because it is messy. We often think of history as a narrative of events that happened in a specific way when in reality it is a collection of experiences, stories and perspectives. We have to constantly weigh the objective and subjective to move toward the a reasonable hypothesis of what is true. That process really excites me.

What do you enjoy most about teaching with Pacific Preparatory?

It has to be the 1:1 atmosphere. Obviously, that's what sets Pacific Prep apart from all other schooling but it is worth underscoring. I can't even remember how many times I sat uninterested in school learning things that I couldn't care less about and haven't used again in my life. That wasn't necessarily because the subject matter was inherently uninteresting or without practical application. It was because it wasn't taught to me in a way that engaged me. It couldn't be. There's no way to teach a single subject in an engaging way to 25 unique students. We don't have that problem at Pacific Prep. Instead I can get to know a student, understand their needs, desires and interests and design a course that will bring them to life. I can teach the renaissance through history books to a student who loves to read, I can teach it through art to a student who loves to paint and I can teach it through Da Vinci to a student who loves people. That isn't possible in other schools.

Can you tell me about a specific time when you saw a student thriving at Pacific Preparatory?

I'd been working briefly with a student who'd had all sorts of issues before coming to Pacific Prep. She'd been diagnosed with several learning differences, her family life was hectic and confusing and the pandemic had taken its toll on her mental health. We started working together in a traditional way. There was lots of reading, discussion and assessment to determine whether she'd understood the material, but none of it was really sticking. After a few weeks I decided to change things up. We only read when absolutely necessary and we did so together. Beyond that, all of our learning was hands-on, creative driven learning. We did simulations, she built models, and we used as many crayons, markers and posters as we could. It was like night and day. Not only was she more engaged, she would hold onto the information for weeks or even months after our unit ended. It was a great lesson in understanding the impact alternative learning can have on a student's morale and performance.

What is your favorite activity to do outside of teaching?

I am, and always have been, an athlete. I played ice hockey, baseball, soccer and lacrosse growing up. Eventually I landed at Michigan State University to play a season of Division 1 ice hockey. Competition and physical activity are two things which are completely integral to my identity as a person. I still play both ice hockey and softball multiple times a week (though the competition level has changed significantly). I think that sports get a bad wrap for the toxicity parents can sometimes bring to them, but their ability to foster social skills, exercise, mental health and fun are second to none. I wouldn't give them up for the world and I see myself playing until my body says I can't anymore!

Thank you Matt for all of the amazing work that you do with your students. We appreciate you! If you are interested in taking a class with Matt or one of our other amazing teachers reach out to us!