Ryan Easton is a man of many trades and has mastered them all. He is a four-year, tenured teacher at CHS who previously taught at another school and has earned a Master’s degree in Educational Technology with an emphasis on coaching teachers for technology from California State University, Fullerton. He teaches the rigorous IB History of the Americas Year 1 as well as AP Economics. He is also the extended essay (EE) coordinator for the IB program.
“It’s my job to make sure that all the kids know what they’re doing for their extended essay, what topics they’re doing, what research questions they’re doing,” Easton said. He explained that it is also his responsibility to make sure the completed essays are sent off to IB.
In addition to teaching and being an EE coordinator, Easton also serves as Teacher on Special Assignment, or TOSA, for CHS. In serving as a TOSA, he supports teachers at CHS who might want assistance with curriculum, technology in the classroom, or lesson plan development.
“I did get my Master’s in Educational Technology with the emphasis on how to teach other teachers how to use technology,” Easton said. “So when I work with other teachers, this degree was specifically designed for that.”
He became a TOSA because of his extensive history in tech and assisting teachers. In 2012, he became a Google Certified Innovator, a program created by Google to showcase innovators in education. Furthermore, he has been presenting at CUE in Palm Springs since 2013, which is one of the largest tech conferences for education on the west coast. So, when the TOSA position opened up he did not hesitate.
Easton also wanted to be more involved at the district level so he is also the Department Chair for the social science department. He was the only one nominated for the position and ran unopposed.
CHS is lucky to have a jack-of-all-trades, or a teacher and mentor in diverse areas. Additionally, students and teachers who have worked with him are overwhelmingly positive in their comments about him. When asked what he enjoyed most about his jobs, Easton did not hesitate.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of being a teacher is when you are teaching and a student says, ‘That’s so cool!’” Easton said. “I know that sounds lame, but it’s true. It makes a teacher’s day when a student is interested in what they are teaching. So when a teacher tells another teacher, ‘That’s so cool!’ it almost is double cool. Impressing a colleague is difficult and helping them teach a student seems altruistically a good thing to do.”
Easton comes with an optimal background to meet these tasks. His many teaching roles and diverse responsibilities portray his dedication to teaching in all its many forms. Easton finds intrinsic rewards in working with others, and he has earned a sincere “thank you” from CHS.