Van Rusuriye, Upper School Science and Math Teacher
What motivated and inspired you to teach?
Teaching was never in my life long plans until Graduate school. While working on a physics doctoral program at Texas Tech University, I applied and was given a National Science Foundation grant that allowed me access into a local high school. Only 10 Doctoral students In Science Mathematics, and Engineering were chosen each. There I shared my love and passion of physics with teachers and students. What motivated me to teach is the difference I saw that I was making in the lives of the kids that I interacted with. To see light bulb moment and joy of learning in the students while sharing about my passion of physics inspired me to choose the teaching profession.
What makes you excited to come to school every day?
I am excited and always look forward to come to ESD every day because I get to work with some of the most amazing students I've ever interacted with. Students who are analytical thinkers, love learning, and love to be challenged. My colleagues are also supportive and great to be around.
What life lesson do you want your students to learn in your classroom?
I would tell students that learning is more than a diploma. The best learning is through life experiences. To go out and enjoy life. Life is full of so many amazing things, but to make it more meaningful and fulfilling, one must find it in a cause outside him/herself.
Tell us a fun or interesting fact about yourself!
An interesting thing about me is that I learned to speak French before I could speak English. Other languages I learned to speak include Kirundi, Swahili, Setswana, and currently learning Spanish. I have forgotten some of the languages since I learned most of them before the age of 9.
What is your favorite book and why?
It might sound like a cliché, but the Bible is my favorite book. It has shaped my character and every aspect of my life in general. It is the inspiration of my life as I try to live up to it to the best of my abilities.
If you could have dinner with three people, alive or not, who would they be?
I would love to have dinner with Jesus Christ because of his love and his underserved sacrifice for me. I owe my life to him and I would like to ask him many questions of his life on earth. I would also like to have dinner with Moses because of his life experiences and trials. I would like to hear about his life of going from living in a palace as a prince to spending 40 years in the desert and the challenges of leading the nation of Israel as the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. The third person I would like to have dinner with is George Washington. George Washington has had a profound impact on our nation’s history. To have a chance to spend some time with a leader like him would be very exciting.