[00:00:00] Welcome to the Teacher Interview podcast.

I'm your host, Wes Creel. I work as Director of Innovation and Instructional support in Fullerton School District, and we are now in season four of the podcast where we get to know teachers better. Our themes this season, our passion, drive and determination. Join me.

Today on the Teacher Interview podcast, we spend time with Kirsten Hubbard. She works as an RCI coach at Robert Cler In.

All right. Uh, Kirsten, welcome to the podcast. Thank you. Glad to be here. So I just, we just played the intro and you're like, that's not my title. So that's not exactly my title anymore. So we're moving [00:01:00] and shaken in Fullerton School District, and I am now an ELA instructional lead within the R T I program.

Okay. So across our district we have four ELA leads. Okay. And we have four math leads. Oh. And so, um, as we build the plane, right, we're taking off, we're flying, we're still adding parts. Right. But the schools that I support in our district are Fisler. Okay. Beachwood. So I have both K eight s, right. And then Raymond School and Rolling Hills.

Oh, okay. Yeah. And how long ago did this shift kind of happen? Uh, when did school start? So it's just recent. Recent? Mm-hmm. Wow. Okay. So, uh, and you've been at Fisler for a while? So this would be my sixth year. Okay. At Fisler. Um, before that one year, R t I coach at Nicholas Junior High. Okay. Previous to that, five years at Golden Hill.

Oh, wow. On both ends. Um, upper [00:02:00] grade, lower grade. Yeah. Yeah. Um, previous to that, nine years at Orange Thorpe. Wow. All in the Fullerton School District. Even student teaching PAC Drive and Hermosa. Wow. Yes. Wow. Yeah. So the new school sites, Beachwood, uh, Raymond and Rolling Hills. And Rolling Hills. Yes. So those are schools that you.

Are fairly new to haven't worked at, correct? Yes. What's that like, uh, stepping out into kind of a different school culture and all that? What do you see? What do you hear? What do you notice? So, I mean, I'm learning and they're all so different and unique. Um, believe it or not, I'm very much an introvert. So the fact that I know nothing anyone said that, nobody said that when I interviewed them.

No. Said she's an introvert. Well, but go ahead. Because I, because I gave you names of people in my circle. Right, right, right. I'm okay if we did an animal answer personality. 10 questions. What animal am I? Yeah, I'm a penguin and, and I [00:03:00] have a very small circle. Okay. So that, anyway, um, but at each of those I have.

Preexisting connections. Oh, nice. So where I might feel timid to go into a new setting. Yeah. Um, I know of course the coach there, the RTI coach for ela, but, um, I also have at least one other familiar face so I can, I can go in and be, be bold and learn how to be mighty within their, um, culture. And they're, they're all so unique and, um, everyone has been, So welcoming.

Teachers are still kind of like, wait, what do you do? And how, wait, you're gonna help me? How, so we're still kind of rolling that support piece out for like tier two and that, uh, sort of support within the classroom setting as well. Yeah, yeah. Um, but it's an exciting time. It's an exciting time. Can I follow up on a phrase you said?

What did I say? You said, uh, learn how to be mighty. Like within that culture. Mm-hmm. I've never [00:04:00] really heard that phrase or heard it that way. So what, where does that go from? Okay. That's just from me. Um, okay. Learn how to, what I, what I mean is when, whenever I am in a situation and I see something like, okay, let me learn.

I am, I am a learner by nature. Mm-hmm. Like, That's my comfort zone, honestly, is learning. Okay. So, um, I always wanna know more. I always wanna know deeper. I always wanna to figure things out sort of on my own. That's that introvert. Like figure it out in a so solo setting, right? Yeah. Um, so as I go onto these new sites, I am kind of in observer learner mode, and with that I'm looking for.

Okay, what? What? And then I'm introspective, right? What do, what do I, what do I have that I could bring? Mm-hmm. That could be helpful. In what capacity in this setting for this group of people. Yeah. [00:05:00] And so in that, if there's a way that I can help elevate someone in the process and show them, like, this is, this is what I see in you, that these people need to see as well.

Hmm. You know, and like, so it's not so much me like, yay, look at me, it's me. Maybe pushing doesn't sound kind, so I don't, that's not the word I wanna say, but, um, me maybe motivating one of my colleagues, whether it's an RTI coach or a classroom teacher to say, Hey, I see this in you. Yeah. I'm looking at the data in, in your classroom.

Mm-hmm. These kids need this part of you. Let's, let's build that together. Mm-hmm. Right. Yeah. So, so mighty. Mighty is kind of like, how can I be a change agent really, I guess is, yeah, I guess that would be my synonym, right? Yeah. For Mighty, like how can I be a change agent for Yeah. For good and for, um, for every kid, not just the kids who kind of don't need us [00:06:00] as educators, you know, those kids that they're gonna learn whether we're in the room or not.

Yeah. Um, I'm always for the underdog and maybe that just comes from being an RTI coach. But maybe that's what drew me to being an RTI coach. Yeah. Right. I'm, I'm always, I'm always the underdog. Or for the underdog. Yeah. I'm gonna ask you a little bit, cuz I know you're looking at data, so you right away said if there's a student need, I'm trying to push the teacher to, you know, help those students.

Push doesn't sound kind, but I'm gonna try to help focus or Right, right. But I also thought you said, and maybe I, I. I just heard what I wanted to hear, but. It sound like you're looking at an aspect of the teacher that you think the staff would benefit from. Absolutely. So talk more about that. So development.

Okay, so as educators, we, we come, we show up, we do what we do, but we don't do anything we do in isolation, right? Mm-hmm. We are, we are no [00:07:00] longer in the era of close the door and teach the class however I want to, right? N not at all. Yeah. So with that, we are always looking to see, I mean, we are multifaceted as people, as educators, so any way that I can see kind of an insight into a teacher of.

Of something that I can tap into. Mm-hmm. To draw out or help support or help grow in that educator. Mm-hmm. To open his or her eyes to this aspect of who you are. Like could really. Help these kids in this way. Yeah. I, I know that's like a very general way to, but, but that's, that's a piece that I, that I love to, can you, and I'm gonna talk a little bit to give you time to think, but can you think of examples where, you know, a teacher, and you don't have to use their name, but you, you did that and you kind of helped them tap into something that maybe you saw as a great asset for the [00:08:00] classroom, but they weren't fully embracing.

So I'll tell a little bit about, I used to have a curriculum specialist. Um, when we were in the office, he would hum all the time and I was like, finally asked him, I was like, you know, what are you humming? And so, oh, whatever. And so we finally, I realized he'd make up jingles on the spot and so we finally, we were writing online and hybrid courses.

Mm-hmm. So I asked him if he would use some of that to write jingles for the online courses. Cuz when students take it, they're by themselves. They're with their, you know, device. And if they could play a little jingle when they start the learning, it has some like, Key vocab or something outta melody. I'm like, that's a win.

That's be more, that's amazing. Yes. Vulner, uh, more memorable. Um, and so for him it was, it was kind of life changing cuz he said nobody has really seen that part of him before. Wow. So I was wondering, do you have like examples where, and then also the, is there, do you notice how, what stands out to you?

Because like, I love [00:09:00] music, so if somebody's humming i'll. Tune. You'll pick that up, right? Yeah. I'm not like great at music, I just, you just love it. I like music. My dad, what do I play? I play the radio. Yeah. That's kinda it. Um, so what, like, frequency, I guess, uh, for a little pun, what frequency do you tune into when you notice these things about teachers?

You're like, oh, that's a, that's so, okay. This may not be a specific teacher. Yeah, that's okay. But, um, And I, and I'll, and I'll give you the school site. Okay. Right. Okay. But, but at Fisler, um, we have what is now called, it's been renamed multiple times by different, um, different principles. Mm-hmm. But it is called the Literacy Coalition.

Okay. And, um, Within that we have a group of educators, not, not, that are picked, like we need one from every grade level, but ones whose own passion mm-hmm. For literacy has drawn them to it. Yeah. And [00:10:00] within that group, um, Everybody there is there because they want to be. Mm-hmm. And they are, um, maybe driven to different pieces.

Maybe it's, ooh, I was, I was coats and trained and so now I wanna bring that, um, to this group. Yeah. And, um, It. What I love about it is when we get together, we look at the data together and we see what are the needs? What are the needs, you know, K all the way to eight. Yeah. And what are some big ideas that, um, stand out?

That could be areas that we could feed into as a coalition. Right. And. Offer PD to our teachers at differentiated, uh, way in differentiated ways. Yeah. And so we come together and it's a group of driven individuals and their passions are all slightly different. Yeah. But it's just so beautiful how it comes together with, [00:11:00] well, I was researching this the other day, like.

What teachers have time to sit and read Research. Research. Yeah. Like, no, they're so busy. Right? Yeah. And so, um, I just feel very honored even though I'm kind of stepping to the shadows of that. Yeah, yeah. Because the, the new RTI coach on campus is, is taking the reins of that. Somebody took your spot in place.

An amazing person took the spot. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. But, um, so they aren't trying to, like, the new position is just like, not like do rti. And then also some other things on top. It's really a new, new position and somebody's coming behind you. Correct? Yes. This new lead position is very different. Yes. Wow. Yeah.

That's fascinating. Yes. So do you like new things? Um, so, or how do you feel about change initially? Um, you know, change is good. Right? Okay. Is it always easy? You looked at me like, no, I know. The right answer is change is good. No, but cha change. Change is good. Okay. Change is good. Does it always feel good?

[00:12:00] No. I'm a creature of habit, like most. Right. Okay. So, but one thing, and I remember when Julian Lee was my principal at Fisler, she pointed out to me, uh, something I, I hadn't really realized about myself. So we would meet weekly RTI coach. Yeah. Admin. Right. And, um, I would present situations and like Julian, I don't know how to.

I don't know how to, you know, navigate the navigate, get it with navigators, navigate it. Um, I don't know how to navigate this situation. I need help with this, whatever it was. And, um, we'd talk about it. And then she, she said to me, and then what you'll do is you're like, Marinate in it a while. Okay. You like sit in it for a while and she's like, and then you would either burst it into my office, I mean, not rudely, but burst in or text me and you would like, but, but could this work to solve it?

Mm-hmm. But could this work to solve it? What about this idea? She said you, you like kind of not [00:13:00] vomited out, but you kind of get it all out there. And then you kind of examine it. Yeah. And then you kind of think about, okay, so how could we solve it? Yeah. How could we come about it? How could we, how could we turn this around?

Or, or, or tweak and change a little bit Yeah. To make it better in some way. Yeah. Or, or, you know, enhance it or whatever. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So she was noticing that about you? I'd never, I I would not, without her pointing that out. Yeah. A few years back now, I, I would've never, cuz what I would see about myself would be somebody says, this isn't working, da da da da.

And I'd be like, ah. Just freaking out. Freaking out. And I kind stop. But, but I, I have learned, um, over the years and. That, uh, sometimes you just have to chew on it a little bit longer. Yeah. Yeah. It's interesting. So I, I'm not sure you answered, I, I was [00:14:00] asking like, what do you notice in teachers? Is there a certain thing that you're kind of more predisposed to go, oh, I can help a teacher draw this out, like, like the music thing for me?

Is there something you're like. Like a re Oh, I noticed they do this relational thing with kids. I'm not sure they know about that. They're, they're, they're not aware they're doing that, or I, uh, maybe they're, they do a certain, you know, structure in their classroom or something like that. Is there something that you find yourself.

Seeing things about them that are assets that maybe they don't see. Well, I was kind kind of like, I, I probably didn't do it very directly, but I was kind of speaking about that with the literacy coalition in the sense of Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, their, their own passions, drawing them to help their colleagues.

And, and one thing I remember when we first changed the structure of that, um, at Fisler, I remember. Um, saying, you know, this, this school district is amazing in getting us [00:15:00] trained on so many things. Yeah. So let's honor all of that training and work our teachers have done and those drawn to literacy. Let's honor the experts in the room.

Yeah. And let's let them speak in the sense of their own shared not only understanding, but their personal expertise in the area and, and all the training. And so we, we would actually do pd, right? Mm-hmm. For the staff. And so, so what I mean in that is, um, What they had to offer was some of themselves, just that personal drive of, um, different pieces of literacy.

And it might, and it might be, you know, ooh, from coats and it might be workshop model or it might be, Ooh, balanced literacy. This, this is amazing, these foundational pieces that maybe, um, maybe not every teacher knows about or they're confused about, like, Like, [00:16:00] let's bring that out. And so that's kind of what I was talking about for them.

Yeah. In particular, it sounds very empowering, like, like inviting them into, I don't know if it's the leadership resort right. Words, but a position of like, Hey, we honor you. You've used that word a few times, right? We honor you. We see you. Right. Step up and, and lead. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And they, and they do.

That's awesome. And they do. Yeah. That's awesome. We have, um, some quotes here that other people don't be afraid that other people contributed. Um, so I'm just gonna read, uh, one and this, uh, these are bonus. Um, bonus. Yeah. So I asked them a couple different questions and then at the end I said like, anything else you want to tell?

Uh, Someone said, um, you're fun to shop with via photos and text message. What is, what is that? Does that ring a bell? It does, it does. It does. So I have one, I have one who that would make sense with, and I have another who, who could say [00:17:00] we FaceTimed to see if it's okay what I'm wearing. So one I shop with and the other, that was Emily McDougal who said the, uh, shopping via text message.

We did, yes. Emily. So, so in different places. But texting, so I don't, how's that work? So I, so she has inspired me in the shoe, in the sh in my shoe game. She's inspired? No, these were pre her. Oh, preemie. These are preemie. Okay. But these are, these are definitely Katie Murray. I had to call, I had to FaceTime her to see if I could buy these.

Oh, okay. No, I'm serious. I don't know these things. And so, um, so you're relying on the expertise about this? Absolutely. Just like the literacy. Yes. So I was in with my husband, uh, Nordstrom's bra. Yeah. And I was texting Emily, what do you think about these? Yeah, what about those? Yeah, what about these? And you know, and she was like, go for the lug.

Go for the lug heel. Kirsten, you can do it. I'm like, I don't know if they're mean. Anyway. Yeah. So lots of fun. Lots of fun. I love that. Yeah, I love that. And so, um, [00:18:00] uh, uh, Katie is actually, um, she used, let me see, she's my partner in crime. She used a name for you. Um, mama. I'm a mama bear. Okay. Mama hubs. Mama hubs.

Yeah. Mama hubs. Um, taking care of everyone around her. Just say a little bit about that. That's definitely true. That's you. Oh, that's totally me. Okay. Totally me. So, so, and I think I said this in the email back to you like my am. I'm the biggest fan any of my kids is ever gonna have. Yeah. Right. So we, my, my husband kind of started the ball rolling, being a very athletically driven family.

Okay. Competition is big in our family. Yeah. Um, and it, so I love being. On the sidelines, on the benches, whatever of anything. Yeah. Any of my kids is, are doing. Um, okay. There's two different threads here. Yeah. But I, I, there is, there is a, a definite, uh, quote here, [00:19:00] uh, from your son about, um, sports. So let's table that for a second.

But the mama hubs. It's funny. I said, mama hubs, and then you went into this competition thing. Well, okay. Is related because it, it's, it's, it's sports minded. Right. So, okay. Mama hubs is a, it's just unpack that for me. It just, it just is like a team mom kind of thing. Mm. Maybe, maybe, maybe, or maybe not so much, but at work, like mama hubs, people call you that at work.

So Katie knows me outside of here in the sense of Okay. Yes. We, we, we met through school and all that. Yeah. But she, she, she's, she's seen me in the realms of being that loudest fan in Oh, the bleachers. Yeah. Um, and ja, I wouldn't be surprised if that's what James talked about. He used to tell me freshman year of football, of high school.

Yeah. Um, He would be lined up. He's a wide receiver, he would be lined up on the opposite side of the field and even through the helmet and the noise on the field. I could [00:20:00] hear you mom. He can hear you. But, but the whole mama hubs thing I would have to say is as, um, I just love, I love my kids, I love my husband.

And, um, when my kids have their group of kids around them, they become my kids. Oh, okay. So I think he's probably talking a little bit about that. So, So all of these, um, kids that my children have grown up with over the year, and I, when I say children, I mean they're 26, 22 and 18 now. Yeah. But, um, I get, I get ca Okay, I'm gonna try to say this without getting choked up.

I get calls or texts on Mother's Day Aw. From kids that I did not birth. Oh. Who, um, That's great. Let me read the quotes. Okay. From, from, uh, it's James, right? Yeah, James. Okay. So he said this is under bonus feedback. Her love and passion to help others extends far beyond her own, beyond her own house. She has helped or provide an organized [00:21:00] meals for entire football teams, both in high school and college.

Yeah, that's true. She has driven a van full of high school football players all over California and surrounding states so they can get opportunity to play in college. Uh, oh. Many of my friends and former teammates even referred to her as mom. Wow. That's amazing. Mm-hmm. Yeah. She's a great example of what it means to look, uh, what it means and looks like to, to fight for those you love and for your dreams.

She's always so supportive and will give her absolute best whatever she's tasked with. Wow. That's a quite a, so that's big. You're driving kids all over the uh Oh, yeah. Yes. Do you have a particular trip you remember? So, one, one, we went up to Santa Cruz. We did that two, two times. Oh, okay. Um, and then another one, it was the, I think it was the very last day of school.

Okay. Um, we went out to n a u, um, my, my son and his son Northern Arizona? Yes. Okay. Yes. For a football camp. Um, oh, okay. Gotcha. But that, that group of boys. They were amazing. And, and they [00:22:00] all went on, I think almost every last one of 'em went on to play college ball. Wow. At least for, at least for a season, right?

Yeah. And some even more so. Um, I'm not, I'm not attributing that to me in any way. It was my, my car did that, but they, them to, back in the day when I taught at Golden Hill, um, in the evening, no, actually, maybe I shouldn't tell you that story. I don't know if that would get me in trouble, but. Scratch that.

You leave the judge. Yeah, we'll leave that alone. Anyway, we release an un UNCs version. We version of this. Yeah, we'll just leave that alone anyway, but yeah, we used to do film study. I'll just say that with football. Okay. We used to do film study. That's awesome. We'll leave that there. Uh, okay. I'm gonna read you another quote.

This is also another Emily McDougle, uh, come to any R T I PLC and there'll be a significant Kirsten moment. You're not afraid to say how you feel and with emotion. Does that ring a bell? [00:23:00] Okay. So probably one of the first times that I met Emily, um, it was still in Zoom land when we were still living in Zoom land.

Right? Yeah. Um, we were going over. And this is what I was starting to tell you in the other room. Yeah. We were going over all of these written responses about Black Lives Matter. Okay. Okay. And like I said in the other room, you may not know this by looking at me. I'm the only white person in our house, right?

So, so at. At Starbucks, that white chocolate mocha, that's actually, they should call that the Hubbard drink, the Hubbard Mocha because it's black, white, and their kids are Mocha, right? So, um, with that whole Black Lives Matter and statements everyone was making and this and that, um, I am very, again, passionate and, and, and I say underdog, which I, I wish that weren't the case, but you'll see what I mean when I'm, when I [00:24:00] finish this, um, So Emily was on there, and I think Julian came on and was talking about a statement that either the cabinet was making, FIDA had made a statement, blah, blah, blah, all these statements, okay?

Mm-hmm. Um, and I, and I said, you know what, I'm, I'm gonna respond as respectfully as I can, but when we are naming off all of these groups, That we say we care about. Mm-hmm. Those are words. Mm-hmm. Me being a data person at that moment, I had pulled up the California dashboard. Mm-hmm. And I said, and I'm just, I'm just saying this, I'm not accusing, but I'm just saying if we're gonna say something, let's do something.

Because the dashboard shows these same people groups mm-hmm. That we're listing that we care about. [00:25:00] Are in the bottom areas mm-hmm. Of mm-hmm. They're, except let's say they're, they're the highest in suspension. Mm-hmm. Yeah. You know, so let's, let's stop talking about it. Yeah. And let's be about it. Yeah. And so that's probably the kind of thing Emily's referring to.

Yeah. And then I'll sit quiet, but yeah. I, I'm, I'm very driven Yeah. To have kids walk out of wherever I am instructing and have learned something. Yeah. Whether they, whether they learn something academic, whether they learn something about themselves, whether they understand it could be understand that, you know what, um, I'm brighter than I'm allowing myself to think I am.

Mm-hmm. You know, on, on my, uh, on my email. I have a little statement and, and I think some of this came after teaching [00:26:00] upper grade. Mm-hmm. But it's my own little saying and it Is that the door, the, the doors? Uh, no, I haven't looked at it in a while. Um, The, the door. It's as I Do I have your email here? You probably do.

Yeah. Bring it up. You can read it. It's your signature. What? You can, it's my signature and I put it on there. But it, it truly, um, it truly is how I feel. The decisions you make today, there it is. Yeah. Are the hinges on which the doors of your future either open or close. Yeah. And so a friend of ours, he's a former NFL player, Uhhuh, and um, he used to do these football camps and in fact, indeed that is one that I brought this, you know, van full of kids up to in Santa Cruz, two years in a row.

And he would have me talk after afterward and give the academic side of things. Because here's the thing, like I would take James to all these. You know, all these football camps all over the place and he, you know, [00:27:00] he wasn't shrinking back. He is not one to shrink back from anything, but, but you'd look around and these guys look big and bad.

And I would say to him, listen, they're not your competition. They could be on the field. Mm-hmm. But nobody is going from here straight to the nfl. That is not an allowable thing. You have to go through the ncaa. Yeah. And I'm gonna bet you that most of these can't get the two plus three. They're gonna be taking a knee.

Mm-hmm. And that's the NCAA's little saying with their gpa. So I said, you are a four. Point, whatever GPA student. Yeah. These people are not your competition. Right. You know what I mean? So I would go to these football camps and try and help these young men learn, you know, so. So what you do on the field is important.

Hmm. What you do on the weekend. Is important. Mm-hmm. You know, uh, but what you do in that classroom is truly what's going to open the [00:28:00] door to the field. Mm-hmm. So I would really try to, you know, a lot of 'em are hoping to be the difference maker for their family, you know? Right. And, and, um, Put food on the table in a way that is, you know, not everybody gets to do because they're gifted and talented and I need them to understand.

You're gifted and talented up in your head too. Yeah. In your mind. You know, so I feel like the, the time you spent driving, like being with people, taking them places as a authentic way to show people that, cuz sometimes we can tell people, you know, you matter, but it's, it's spending time with them. Right.

Is that, Um, that testimonial to like the rubber meets the road. Sure, sure. You're really there with them. Right. You know? Right. Yeah. Through, you know, investing time. Um, that's great. Let turn that back in towards the classroom. Let's say there's somebody who's, uh, they've lived through [00:29:00] the Black Lives Matter, uh, moment.

It's 2020. Mm-hmm. And now it's 2022. And they, uh, Feel like an ally. They're like, when I'm in this classroom, what do I do? Um, what do you see? And it could be things the district's doing that you think, oh, that's, that's good. That's good practice. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Or things you've seen other educators do that help bring an awareness of social justice or.

Um, help make things better for students. What, what do you see that's working? I, I'm gonna say and, and lit. Emily and I say this, um, often that literacy is social justice. It's a great quote. Yeah. It's truth. Yeah. Right. So, so if. If we, if we care about people, I don't, I don't care from which group we're speaking or about which group we're speaking.

If we care about them, we [00:30:00] are going to fully equip them to the best of our ability. Mm-hmm. To go out and be able to take care of themselves by going to college. Or going straight into a career or communicate in whatever way is necessary to, um, to be a functioning, contributing member of society. Yeah. And so, um, I, I am, I am very, I.

I'm very driven, uh, with that whole literacy piece because it is truly a door opener and without it, it truly closes doors, you know? And so even, even working with upper grade students, um, sometimes you see they're kind of like glossed over. They're quiet, you know, their eyes are like, why am I in this R t I group?

Yeah. And so I remember this one group in particular a few years ago, they were, it's like, it's silent. Nobody wants to talk. Nobody wants to learn. Like, [00:31:00] no way, lady, I'm not doing this. And so I finally sat there and I said, so, so what do you love? Tell me something. You And I sat there, I was, I was upset. And I'm like, I grab a notepad.

I'm like, okay, what do you love? What, what motivates you? What drives you? What do you do when you leave here? Right? And I wrote everything down. And then the next time that they came to group, I had a grid and I said, okay, so remember you, Mr. Bmx writer, guess what? Press on this link because you'll learn that there are schools.

I forget where they were, I found them. Mm-hmm. You can actually get a, um, scholarship. Mm-hmm. For writing bmx. Have you ever heard of that? Never heard of it. You, Mr. Martial Arts. Click on this link. Yeah, because this link, these schools. Give scholarships for college, for martial arts. Yeah. Oh, you wanna be And, and every single thing.

Yeah. Anyone had shared, oh, I gave them a link. And that was the, [00:32:00] from that point on, yeah. That was the most, any of those young men and women were, were they were upper graders. Yeah. Were beginning to, because I feel like they then learned, she may not look like me. But she cares about me. Yeah. You know? Yeah.

I, I remember the one year at Nicholas, um, I think they looked at me and they were like, sh, how could she care? Like, She doesn't know anything about me. Yeah. You know, and, and what, and what they don't understand is, you know, turn it all around. When I, when I was in junior high in Northern California, I went to a school much like Nicholas.

Mm-hmm. But I, but I was the only blonde in the whole school. My younger brother and I, and a kid from Germany who carried a briefcase I remember were the only blondes in the whole school. So in that, um, You know, I was rarely called my own name. It, it was Lata and white girl. You know, it was, why do you have white hair?

Why do you have [00:33:00] yellow hair? And I'm like, it's called blonde Low, you know? Um, and there was this other young man who I don't know, he thought my brother and I were Jewish. So there were all these slurs in that regard, saying horrible things about. That and so, no, I don't know the shoes you walk in. Yeah.

But I care about them. Yeah. And so I remember, uh, calling my buddy Javier, and I said, Javier, I, I need you to come and talk to my, I had two groups of LTELs, long-term ELs, and I said, I need you to come talk to them because they don't believe. The skin I'm in cares. Mm-hmm. And I, and I, I'm, that's valid. Right.

Right. That may not have been their life experience. Right. And so Javier came and he talked to them in a way that no way could I have, cuz I hadn't walked it. Right. Right. He'd walked it. Yeah. And then he gave them some homework. Okay. And he [00:34:00] said, when you go home, I want you to ask your parents when they struggled to come here to the us.

Ask them what motivated them to come. And then the second question he had was ask them when you were born and they looked into your eyes. What dreams did they have for you? Mm-hmm. And he came back later and some of those kids had taken to heart what he said. Yeah. And I remember this one young girl, she said, I, I learned things I didn't know at all about my own family.

Right. I learned my mom had wanted to go to college and life changed. Yeah. And here I was as the newborn. Right? Yeah. And so that changed. Wow. And, and she's like, so now, Now I wanna go to college for my mom. Yeah. Yeah. It's powerful, you know? So, yeah. That's [00:35:00] very, very powerful. Uh, the story you just told, or the question that Javier asked is, um, it's, there's a similar, similar moment into vi uh, Viola Davis's book where she's talking about her just very poverty stricken childhood and.

She asked her mom to tell the story about the day she was born, and her mom tells a story about everybody's there. The, the whole family gathered everybody's, you know, uh, together, smiling and happy. And that was like the end of the story. She kept waiting for it. And then, you know, we didn't have money to pay the doctor.

She kept waiting for a negative. She's like, the story of my, the day of my birth was, Like the only moment of joy. Wow. That she knew the family shared cuz it was always trauma and poverty. Sure. And um, so asking them like the day they were born, what, what dreams did their parents have for 'em? That's powerful.

Yes. Yeah, it's really powerful. Um, so let's, let's do this. [00:36:00] We're getting close to time. Uh, we've had quotes from everybody. They've written more and they have a lot more to say about you. I'll share all those with you. Oh no. But um, Where, where are you going? Like what, what do you see? Y a year, two years, three years, five years.

What, what are you looking forward to? What do you wanna accomplish? What's, what's that look like? Uh, honestly, hon, I honestly don't know Wes. Um, that's awesome. I really don't know. Yeah. Um, Well, let me think about that. So what I hear out of the things you've said is you're creative like calling Javier and saying, Hey, can you come and speak?

No, I, I'm not creative, Wes. I'm a problem solver. Okay, problem solver. I'm not creative. Well, that was creating a solution that didn't exist. Sure. So I can solve a problem, but I'm not, I'm not creative. Yeah. I'm, I would, I would, I would not. Yes. I would say I'm a problem solver. I'm not, I'm not creative.

[00:37:00] Creative. That's say agree to disagree with you. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Because I, I think a lot of people would be simply looking at their own resources. To try to be I didn't have it. I, I didn't, I knew enough to know I wasn't it, do you know what I mean? Yeah. Like, I knew enough to know, I, I, I couldn't, I had done everything I knew to do Yeah.

To reach them, and they didn't trust that I cared. Yeah. And some of it was, you know, the, the packaging I'm in Yeah. They can't see my heart. Right. Right. Yeah. So my, so my heart reached for a solution. That I couldn't provide. Yeah. Right. Yeah. You know, um, I, I would say like, what's down the road for me? I mean, currently I feel like, um, I feel like what I do here is, um, kind of a sanctuary for me right now.

Um,[00:38:00]

It's been a little over a year now. My husband is battling, um, stage four prostate cancer. Mm-hmm. And so my hopes and dreams down the road would be that he would still be here. That he would be healthy. Yeah. Um, Our daughter is graduating from college in May. Uh, our son, our youngest son is graduating high school in May.

I want him to be by my side at those. Yeah. So for me that would be a, a, a goal, a dream. Yeah. Um, Frankly, I was struggling to put his compression socks on one day and he is like, I'm sorry. I know this is hard. I know you don't wanna do this. I said, no, I don't mind doing this. What, what, what I don't wanna do is go to graduations and weddings and baby's births without you.

Mm-hmm. Right. I said it much more passionately than that. But you don't, you don't want me yelling here, but so, so, so my goals, um, are trying to figure out how to best serve him. Mm-hmm. [00:39:00] Yeah. Um, And my family. I, I don't always do a good job of that. I try. Yeah. Um, but I'm tired, Wes. Yeah. Um, but that I think my goals would, would, would revolve around my, my family in that regard.

Yeah. Well, just to, to react to that, like the, the work you've done in the district, the passion you've poured in, the people you've supported, the people you've seen and allowed to be a part of. Of leadership and going forward. That's, um, that's, I I just think of it as a, a muscle. Mm-hmm. That has like, it's been marathon, you know, types of work and then marathon muscle lasts a long time, you know, and so you've put in that work and the muscle of what you've created will last a long time.

And we have. You know, you need to pay attention to family in a specific way. Right. That, that, that muscle's there, you know, [00:40:00] people, people will, you know, support you and be by you. So, um, no, I have a great community. We have a great community. It's amazing. Yeah. So, yeah, it's like you have momentum, you know, and you're putting others in leadership positions and they're gonna push forward and, and, and, and move the needle, so to speak, in the things that they obviously, Know your heart, you know, because they, you're passionate and people can see what you care about.

Yeah. I am a bit passionate. Yeah. Yeah. And we wish, uh, we wish your husband well, for sure. Yeah, totally. I, uh, yeah. Yeah. And we'll be thinking and praying for you cuz that's, that's a tough situation. Thank you. So, yeah. Yeah. I, I don't know if there's time for it, but I have, I have one story that if I could go for it, say, encapsulates Yeah.

So I was teaching first grade at Golden Hill and I'm a huge sports fan. Okay. And so I had learned, um, it was during a, a Super Bowl year. I had learned about a, an NFL [00:41:00] player. He was playing for the Patriots at the time. His name is Malcolm. I think it was Malcolm Mitchell. Okay. And I learned his story and he was from Georgia.

And, um, they actually did one of those, I don't know, 60 minutes or whatever on him, and he said he had gotten injured. He was their top, uh, I, I think he was a wide receiver, but honestly it's been a while. Mm-hmm. I don't remember exactly. Yeah. And so he mentions in this thing, he said, well, What, what I did when I got injured was I thought, I'm gonna do something I don't do well, and I'm going to build myself as a reader.

Because he said self-admittedly, he read at about a sixth grade level Wow. In college. Yeah. And so the story goes on and on to where he's. At this Barnes and Noble or whatever, and he meets these two older ladies and he's like, what book do you recommend? Yeah. And they're like, are you some big, you know, football player or something?

He's like, no, I'm a nobody. I just need a, you know, I need a good book. And so they [00:42:00] invite him to their book club. Okay. Everybody is well above his age Uhhuh. He, he's the only guy. I mean, there were, yeah, it was probably the only, anyway, yeah. So he, he gets very involved with this, with this, um, this. This book club and he really becomes a voracious reader.

And everywhere he, he is just reading a book, reading a book. Reading a book. Yeah. So much so inspired, wanting to kind of help solve that problem of, you know, chi childhood illiteracy. Right, right. And so he actually, um, writes a children's book, oh, about, uh, I think it's the Magician's hat, is what it's called.

Anyway, and so I'm telling this story to my first graders. And I've got my little kiddos that actually, you know, as a classroom teacher, I had kids that went to rti, right? Yeah. And one of my little guys in the back, it was almost like he was responding to, um, a lively [00:43:00] church service, frankly. Yeah. Because he stands up and he is waving his hands and he says, that's me, Mrs.

Hubbard. That's me. I'm good at sports and I'm not good at reading. Oh my gosh. You know, and just those connections of like. But if you can be inspired, this guy went from being not a good reader to writing a book. Yeah, yeah. You know? And I don't know, moments like that. Yeah. Like those things. It's not me, but those reactions that inspire me.

Yeah. Like that's what I'm going for. Yeah. Like that's a good day. Yeah. Yeah. That's great. I love it. Thank you so much for, for being here. No, you're welcome. And, uh, thanks for having me. Yeah, it wasn't that bad. No, I was afraid. I was afraid. I was afraid, but, um, you know, thought I'd give it a try. You check it off your box, right.

I did it. Thanks for, yeah. But thank you. I think we need a mug that says, I did the podcast and I, yeah, all I got was the podcast and I survived. I survived this podcast. Yeah, I [00:44:00] survived the podcast. Thank you.

This has been the Teacher Interview podcast. Thank you for joining us.