Interview with Mr. Tejano

Interview+with+Mr.+Tejano

We interviewed Mr. Neil Tejano, an English teacher here at Whitney Young since the 2012-13 school year, and found out some really interesting things about him. Mr. Tejano is very fond of his job here and finds that the more delightful aspects of his job are the people that he works with and the students he teaches. “I really enjoyed his class. He made the class very enjoyable and he has a great sense of humor” -Francesca Pusateri ‘17. Mr. Tejano valued his time in school when he was younger and loved it so much that he became a teacher so he could “stay in school forever.” Even though he cherishes his job, he believes that the most difficult aspect of teaching is how much it takes out of a person. He said, “at the end of the work day with most jobs, you can leave all of your work in the office. On the other hand, when you leave school as a teacher, you still have things to do at home and you think a lot about what you have to do while you are at home or with friends. Teaching can really consume a person.”

 

We also found out about his personal interests from the past. When he was in high school, he was the Concertmaster of the orchestra and played in the Jazz band. He was also a member of the marching band, the debate team, and involved in theatrics. He stated, “music took up most of my time.”

 

Outside of the classroom, Mr. Tejano enjoys seeing a lot of concerts and watching movies.  We also learned he is nearly obsessed with Beyonce. He could not decide on one movie as his favorite, so he gave us three: In the Mood for Love, The New World, and The Thin Red Line. His favorite foods include burgers and egg rolls.

 

Here is what other of his past students had to say about his class:

 

“He is a very laid back teacher and really knows how to engage a student.”

  • Amiya Crockrom ‘17

 

“He was a very fun teacher. It was funny how the students’ anxiety made him laugh.”

  • Susan Huerta ‘17

We had a great time interviewing Mr. Tejano and learning so much about him.