Meet Your New Teachers: Hannah Nguyen, History

Q: What school did you come from and why did you pick Head-Royce? 

A: “Previously, I worked at two schools. I worked at Arise High School for a long time. It’s a public charter school here in East Oakland. I taught Ethnic Studies and math there. I was a 9th grade dean. Before this, I was the director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice at the Castilleja School. I chose Head-Royce because I missed Oakland so much. The people are fantastic, and it’s a really great place to work. Now I’m here and I love it,”

Q:Where did you go to college, and what did you major in? Why did you start teaching? 

A: “I went to college at USC. I studied sociology, and I was also in the music theater program. I minored in Spanish. I wanted to be a teacher even before USC. I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was 14. I had a really transformative experience in my history and humanities classes, and I realized that I want to dedicate my life to giving students the experience that I had in this class. 

 Q: What do you wish your students knew about you?

A: “I’m the dean of equity and community. I hope students know I mess up all the time. I say out-of-pocket stuff all the time, or I’ll think it. We all have biases. Because we have internalized an oppressive framework of thinking. I’m constantly working to better myself and to encourage others to better themselves. I always tell students it’s okay to say the wrong thing sometimes. I’m not gonna hate you or think you’re a bad person. You may have said a bad thing, but it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. I’m always happy to have a conversation, and I may not agree with you. I hope students know I care about them. I care about their growth and learning. I think we can’t learn unless we are being brave.”