We’d love for our readers to get to know our excellent faculty and staff here at Bayhill High School. Recently I interviewed, Holly Storey who teaches Algebra 1, Algebra 1A & 1B, Geometry, and Physics.
How many years have you been teaching? This is my 9th year teaching: 4 years with Seneca Center, 1 year teaching in Thailand, and 4 years at Bayhill.
Where did you grow up and where did you go to college? I grew up in Pasadena, which is in the Los Angeles area. I attended Cal State Long Beach, then moved to the Bay Area where I earned my teaching credential and Masters in special education at Chapman University.
What is your teaching style? With my background in a more intense behavior school, I would say I have strong classroom management skills. Students always know what to expect, there are no surprises for how I want my class to run. Students know to be prepared everyday. With that being said, I also know how to make learning fun and make my students laugh (I’m a pretty witty person). Too, I always use a lot of real life examples or visual aids to help with lessons. In terms of math skills, I know our students need a lot of scaffolding and I really push with frontloading vocabulary.
What is your teaching philosophy? I believe that students learn better when they build a relationship with their teacher. I feel it is important to know the student on an individual level. Learning their interests may help me in teaching them certain concepts. (Ms. Storey spends a lot of extra time with students, eating lunch with them, attending performances student have outside of school. She’s also at every school event such as dances, prom, picnics, and camping trips.) Overall, my goal is to not only teach the core curriculum, but to also role model what being a compassionate, active, hard-working adult looks like.
Ms. Storey & Zara on Halloween
What do you like most about Bayhill? I love that we are such a diverse school. We have students and staff from so many different areas, we really get to know one another in a small but strong community.
What advice would you give students? Travel!! Do whatever you can to see new places. I always encourage taking a study abroad program or even a summer to explore. Traveling has taught me so much so I hope our students can have a similar experience.
So what about outside school? What are your hobbies and interests? Riding my motorcycle, hikes/walking the lake with my dog, camping, or movie with friends. (Yes, she said motorcycle. Leather, boots, helmet, the whole bit!)
Tells us one thing people may not know about you? I am allergic to bell peppers and love sweets!
How about your favorite student quote? I have a wall of student quotes, but my favorite would be “Woah! Sometimes thinking just comes out of nowhere.” – Evan C.P.
If you were stranded on desert island, what three things would you want with you?Family (Includes my dog Zara), friends, and my passport.