Many people spend their lives searching for their true passion and finding ways to pursue it. Science teacher Dustin Le has pursued his interests by studying various fields, hopping between jobs and trying new activities as he shares his passions with students through teaching.
Despite having recently graduated from UCI with a degree in biology, Le has already taught in three different subjects at Northwood and continues to share his passions as he transitions from student-teaching in Integrated Science 3 to becoming a permanent computer science teacher and now a long-term AP Biology substitute.
“I entered college as a general biology major because I didn’t know what I wanted to do; I just knew I liked bio,” Le said. “When I went to college, I tried to experiment with as many majors as possible: I volunteered at the health center, I did research and took a bunch of different classes trying to feel out what appealed the most to me.”
Le’s continuous efforts to experience new areas of study are all a part of his philosophy to take on new challenges, as he uses these opportunities to further grow his passions and renew excitement in his career.
He always has these really crazy but actually helpful analogies that help us understand all the complicated stuff from the class.
— junior Alisha Usman said
“When I interviewed here, they asked me if I could teach computer science,” Le said. “My first year, it was my hardest hurdle because I haven’t taken the course before. There was a lot of work to be done in adapting the course for the students but it eventually got better.”
In order to tackle the challenge of teaching a subject he was unfamiliar with, Le spent time learning from computer science teacher Catherine Cali. Outside of Northwood, he would watch videos to immerse himself in this new subject and enhance his teaching skills.
“I started with really basic computer science knowledge but working with Ms. Cali throughout the year really helped me and now I have a much better understanding of the subject, but I’m still learning,” Le said.
Now, as he transitions into teaching a subject of his forte, Le’s passion and excitement is especially evident in his lessons. Whether it be explaining the anatomy of a cell or the workings of a computer, Le uses various methods enthusiastically to explain new concepts to his students.
“You can really tell that Mr. Le enjoys teaching the class,” junior Alisha Usman said. “He always has these really crazy but actually helpful analogies that help us understand all the complicated stuff from the class.”
Although it is a challenging feat to transition from student teaching to holding a permanent position, Le tries to use his organic passion for this subject to create an environment where students can help dictate their learning and seek guidance from him.
Teaching was pretty clearly most appealing to me. It felt like my work was important.
— Dustin Le
“I think Mr. Le has transitioned very well,” junior Divya Sundararajan said. “He seems to have been able to jump right into it and I think he does a very good job teaching the material. I enjoy his teaching style as it is kind of laid back, giving the students more freedom to ask questions and learn more.”
Le’s passion for teaching is clear to the students due to his drive to continue learning. As he continues teaching, he hopes to further grow his knowledge in computer science as well as the various sciences and continue to explore new topics to fuel his love for his job.
“Teaching was pretty clearly most appealing to me,” Le said. “It was much more fun, much more rewarding and I really liked the environment and what I had to do. It felt like my work was important. I was fortunate to find a job in a field I actually like.”
