Q + A: Science teacher Jon Waggle
Jon Waggle helps students during a lab activity
October 17, 2013
Jon Waggle does not only teach in the classroom, but also on the Tracy High football field by coaching the varsity football team. Waggle loves teaching science to his students, and has worked really hard in order to fulfill his students. He loves teaching, but his family is what truly makes him the happiest.
What do you love most about your job?: “First, I like the act of teaching. I like to see the students look at things from a different perspective that they haven’t before, especially in science because I have the opportunity to expose them to things that they would never seek out on their own, so it’s really exciting!”
What do you think kids learn from sports?: “They learn a lot more about how to play the sport, how to be more discipline, follow rules, how to be respectful to their coaches, and the importance of teamwork and cooperation.”
What is your favorite restaurant?: ”I actually like Thai food, and there is this great place in Modesto called Tasty Thai. Bill’s Casino in Las Vegas serves the best rib eye steak ever!”
Best trip you ever took?: “My honeymoon in Maui because it was a special time, great scenery, and spent way too much money.”
Do you have a go to snack?: “I don’t have a “go to” snack, but I have a “go to” drink. I drink Diet Pepsi because I like the taste. I am not a big snacker. I usually drink it around third period.”
Who is your favorite superhero?: “It’s got to be Batman, only because he is not really a superhero. He is just a regular person with cool gear.”
Where did you go to college? Did you like it?: “I went to Cal State University, Stanislaus. Yes, I did like it for several reasons. Number one it was good for me, I was a working adult, I didn’t live in the dorms, and so it was perfect for that. Number two, it’s a smaller school, so the class sizes were really small. I got a very good education from experience professors, that’s definitely why.”
What is the best thing about teaching at Tracy High School?: “The members of my department are very dedicated. I hear a lot of horror stories about other departments from other schools. All the people here collaborate to improve the experience for our students.”
Did you always knew what you wanted to be?: “Well, not when I was young, but when I started going to college, initially I wanted to be something in the medical profession, doctor or physical therapist. My job that I had in college was being a janitor in a hospital. I saw how late they worked, how hard they worked, the mental toll on doctors, it was just something that I did not want to do. At the same time in college I was working at the tutoring center, teaching other students in college, and I was really good at it. People would request me all the time, and I realized maybe I should be a professor. Unfortunately, being a professor takes more education that I wanted to get, so I became the next best thing, which was a teacher.”
What makes you happy?: “My wife and kids. I also enjoy being on summer vacation.”
What is your favorite artist: “I honestly don’t have time to listen to music, but if I do I listen to Rage Against the Machine. The reason is it lets me get out my anxieties or my frustrations, so I won’t have to dwell on it.”
