Glendale High School welcomes Ms. Christina Truong, who is entering her first year here on our campus. She is an Integrated Math 1 teacher, and she has been teaching for two years.

Ms. Truong has always known that she wanted to pursue becoming a teacher since she was young. “I considered other alternative routes, but teaching always stood out to me,” she mentioned. 

A specific moment that stood out to Ms. Truong recently was when she recalled our “Back To School Night” on August 31st. One student’s parents went up to her and told her how glad they were that she was their child’s math teacher this year. This interaction felt “fulfilling” and it reminded her why she chose to “become a teacher in the first place”. 

Ms. Truong went to Rosemead High School and graduated from the University of California, Irvine, where she majored in Math, with a minor in Education. A fun fact about Ms. Truong is that she has a twin sister, and she enjoys spending time with her friends and family. In addition, Ms. Truong likes playing basketball and has a pet Golden Retriever named Bailey. 

Something that Ms. Truong would change about the public education system is the support that teachers receive, as there are about thirty students in a classroom with only one teacher. It would be useful to have extra help, such as another teacher assisting them, from time to time. 

Ms. Truong’s advice to students, who don’t have a plan after high school, is to explore their interests and have options. She expressed how those indecisive feelings that students have after graduation are normal. “How do you expect an 18-year-old to know what they want to do, when they have no experience in that field?” she asked. 

Ms. Truong understands that a lot of students may not want to pursue college, but she thinks students should have a plan or other options. This will give them at least room to explore. 

In five years, Ms. Truong still sees herself teaching and looks forward to continuing to make learning a safe space, while creating a positive impact on students’ lives. 

Lastly, Ms. Truong urges her students to be wise about “the people you surround yourself with”, and “to be picky with who you give your heart to.” Furthermore, young people should “not let people take your kindness for granted,” and they should “learn when to stand up for [themselves] and be [their] own advocate, because people tend to take advantage of people that are kind sometimes.” Basically, you should know when to stand up for yourself, which is especially important in high school. 

If you see Ms. Truong around campus, or in her classroom, make sure to stop by and say hello to our new Nitro! 

Welcome to GHS, Ms. Truong!