David Chen’s love for teaching first budded during his high school years at Monta Vista High School, where he applied his expertise in chemistry to assist his friends with their schoolwork. Joining Lynbrook as an honors chemistry and freshman biology teacher, he is continuing to pursue his passion for teaching high school students.
“High school is a very coming-of-age time, where I can be more complex in the way I instruct students and help them develop their own sense of identity,” Chen said.
Prior to entering college, Chen was unsure of what career path he would take. He was fascinated by chemistry, and he found satisfaction and excitement from watching his friends improve with his guidance. Although he found pleasure in teaching, he was still hesitant about whether or not he wanted to take it up as a career. It was only until he started studying chemistry and music at UC Berkeley when he truly began seeking education as a potential career. Furthering his knowledge in these two subjects, especially chemistry, enkindled Chen’s confidence to blossom. In addition, he attended an education program that allowed him to pursue a career in teaching.
“I’m still figuring my career out, even right now as I prepare for this year,” Chen said. “I really enjoy learning about both science and education, and how science factors into education.”
After he graduated college in 2021, Chen kicked off his teaching career at Fremont High School, where he taught during the second semester of the 2022-23 school year. Though it was short, Chen enjoyed his experience at Fremont and is looking forward to his time at Lynbrook. As a Monta Vista alumnus, he feels nostalgic returning to the same district he grew up in.
“It feels like I’m coming back home when I teach here,” Chen said.
Despite being a new teacher, Chen is dedicated to creating an engaging environment for his future students. He aims to help students absorb scientific concepts using quirky analogies. Some students may consider chemistry a complex subject, yet Chen believes his teaching methods will help make the subject more engaging and easy to understand for students.
“There’s a lot of things in our natural world that we see, and we never really question it,” Chen said, “Bringing them into the science classroom gives us an opportunity to learn why certain concepts might be important to our lives.”
As a teacher, Chen has always strived to be sincere and open toward his students. Attempting to create a conventional and trendy image is not a part of who he is; instead, his teaching approach stems from his core values: responsibility and communication. Chen believes these two values are key to maintaining a good relationship with his students. Every year, a teacher works with many different students, and Chen admits that it can be hard to give everyone the attention they need. However, he takes up the responsibility of caring for each and every individual. Regardless of the circumstances, he puts an emphasis on always being available to his students, so that he can assist them with any questions they may have.
“Of course, I’m still a work in progress and this is still an obstacle that I’m doing my best to figure out,” Chen said. “I will try my best to communicate with all my students without burning myself out.”
Outside of the classroom, Chen enjoys music, dance and badminton. He intends to serve as a coach for Lynbrook’s JV badminton team during the upcoming fall season. Although he is teaching a science class, his diverse range of hobbies define who he is as a person. Most importantly, he wishes to use these pastimes as a way to connect with his students, as well as participate in any school activities he is able to. Chen’s enthusiasm extends to helping his students grow as individuals beyond the classroom.
“My greatest hope as a teacher is that I can help students develop their sense of independence and confidence, not just in a classroom, but also just with everything they do in life,” Chen said, “Including learning to become better people who not only protect themselves, but also do their best to help the community.”
