Teacher Feature September 2024: Eric Gutierrez

Each month, we spotlight and celebrate a teacher in our community.

Eric Gutierrez has taught for over 25 years across college, high school, and middle school levels. He currently teaches US History, CTE Business Fundamentals, and CTE Film/TV/Broadcast at Haskell STEM Academy in Cerritos, CA. Known for his innovative and creative teaching methods, Eric is deeply committed to ensuring every student realizes their full potential. Eric’s dedication to education and his students’ success is evident in his dynamic and inclusive classroom environment.

Learn about Eric’s favorite StoryMaker lessons, pro tips, and more in our Q&A below. 

How long have you been using StoryMaker or SRL resources in your classroom?

Four years.

What’s your favorite StoryMaker lesson?  

“What is Newsworthy“— because it lays the foundation for critical thinking and deeper-level analysis that many middle-school-age students often overlook.  Once the foundation is set, students’ creativity and success flourish!

What’s a media-making tool or resource you can’t live without? 

Macbook Pros are my go-to because, in a crunch, students have access to video, mics, and audio.

Links to your students’ work: 

Mr. Gutierrez Class Website (US History) – Explore the students’ innovative and creative multimedia, maker space, lego, and website design projects.

What’s a dream story you’d like to report on or a person you’d like to interview?

I would love to interview students and teachers who are covering a historical topic from a perspective unique to one another.  For example, in the US it’s the Mexican-American War, but in Mexico, it is known as the American Invasion— or the War in Vietnam — exploring American vs Vietnamese perspectives. In doing so, I would facilitate cross-cultural respect and understanding of people’s unique historical perspectives but simultaneously look toward a mutually respectful future together.

What’s your advice for teachers and educators just getting started on StoryMaker? 

Dive right in and embrace uncertainty.  The lessons and activities rarely go the way we envision. Teachers and students must embrace ambiguity and uncertainty because, in the end, it yields tremendous growth.

What are you currently listening to? 

The Gardening Channel with James Prigioni – I’m trying to create my own food forest 🙂

Fun facts about you? 

I also run a non-profit where I help students get into college, assist with the college application process, and offer guidance with research publishing.

Anything else we should know?

You can reach out to Eric Gutierrez directly to learn more about how he’s adapted StoryMaker into his classroom. Email him at: eric.gutierrez@abcusd.us