Reyes Gives Students Support, Encouragement—and Science
On a Friday afternoon, Dan Reyes was in his classroom, organizing papers at his desk. The UC Berkeley graduate has a lot on his plate, teaching biology and chemistry, serving as the adviser for the Gay/Stright Alliance, and preparing to attend medical school next year.
Reyes has taught for nine years. When he was in college, he taught a class through a program that allowed college students to teach in a classroom in Oakland without credentials as long as they were working towards being a teacher. He really enjoyed it.
“It was this easier route to get into teaching than most people are able to do, so I took advantage of that and got into the classroom,” Reyes said. “Teaching’s been great. One thing that’s very important to me—with whatever I do, whether it’s an actual paid job, or a volunteer exercise that I do—I need to feel like I’m doing something that’s good, so I felt that with teaching.”
According to his students, Reyes is really good, and he is a supportive teacher.
Freshman Grace Paulson said that on the first day of school, “the first thing he said was that his classroom was a safe place.”
In addition, “Mr. Reyes proved to me and all my classmate that if you work hard for something you can do it.”
Freshman Mylo Lynch said,” He’s easy to relate with.”
Associate principal David Granzotto, who is in his first year at Las Lomas agrees.
“He puts himself out there in a way that’s very real and open with students, and they responded to that, and it made me really trust him.”
Reyes has a way of reaching out to people that really resonates with them.
“I love his authenticity,” said Spanish teacher and ELD department chair Marlene Miranda. He’s very transparent in the way he speaks and presents himself.”
Reyes shows that same encouragement in GSA as an adviser.
“He brings support and open arms to GSA,” said GSA coordinator, Bo Leach, a junior, in an interview over text.
Students appreciate how he listens to the students and offers beneficial input.
“He doesn’t butt in at all, only when we’re talking about important stuff then he joins in the conversation,” said freshman Rowan Farrand.
“He was super helpful in getting the workshops started and definitely just when he brings up special dates to the LGBT community,” Leach said.
Reyes feels the same way about the students.
“It’s a really engaged, very socially aware group of kids,” he said. “As a member of the LGBT community myself, it’s gratifying to find a group of kids on campus who are just as enthusiastic about creating a safe space for LGBT people, like I am.”
He said it’s essential to create safe spaces for vulnerable populations.
“I’ve grown up with mostly anti-LGBT adults for much of my life,” said junior CJ Cabungcal. “It’s pretty nice to have an adult that isn’t and makes the whole adult thing sound more tolerable... To see a guy like Mr. Reyes living a successful life s really uplifting”
Reyes will not be here next year to teach at Las Lomas because he will be attending medical school in New Jersey.
He still hopes to continue teaching.
“What’s interesting about medicine is that there’s also a lot of opportunity to be in the academic world, through research, and through teaching med school students yourself,” he said. “I am a trained teacher and I spent a very long time getting my credentials, not just my teaching credentials …. I have an administrative credential, masters degree, so that all took time to get,”
He hopes to teach in medicine. “There’s no doubt that the skill set that I’m bringing to med school and the one I will have when I finish is that of a standard physician but also that of a standard teacher. I can only imagine right now, I will probably miss the classroom, but I will get my fill of teaching by teaching med students.”
