by Camryn Orosco

The first week of this school year Mr. Ryan Alcoser had all of his students participate in a competition to see who could build the highest tower out of spaghetti, tape, and string. At the time, it was an exciting, albeit frustrating, activity, but students had difficulty understanding its purpose or application to school. It was only in hindsight that students realized they had been “tricked” into learning. The activity helped civics students to understand different types of government and their importance. Some groups for the activity became a dictatorship, or even anarchy, while others used a more democratic approach where everyone got a say in how the tower should be built. Psychology students witnessed their peers’ behavioral tendencies as the situation became more stressful. Alcoser says he loves the introductory tower activity because he’s able to witness, “excitement about learning, collaboration, and team building,” skills that will become useful as the year goes on and course material becomes increasingly challenging.

Ryan Alcoser

Alcoser teaches world history, civics, economics, and AP psychology, in addition to coaching girls and boys golf. Despite this being his first year working at Immanuel, he is not inexperienced in working with young people. In the past, he has subbed and taught in Laton, but most importantly, he is the father of two boys, one and four years old. When asked about how his role as a parent affects his teaching style he says, “When you become a parent, it changes your perception and how you view young people. More than just being a teacher, I hope to be a mentor.”

Although Alcoser was a psychology major at UC San Diego and it is his favorite subject, this year is his first opportunity to teach it. He notes, “The role reversal from being a psychology student to teacher has been interesting. I like all the subjects I teach, but psychology is my passion.” He is using the ways he learned to analyze behavior and methods of learning to transition into teaching psychology. He emphasizes to his students that psychology is not just about the tangible brain, but also about the soul. Seeing students share his desire to learn more about psychology motivates him to be a better teacher.

Alcoser says the most notable differences between Immanuel and previous schools he’s worked at are the schedule and expectations for technology usage in the classroom. However, needing time to adjust is not a bad thing, especially when the advantages are considered. He is eager to work with and be around, “quality, like-minded people.” He is embracing his new place at Immanuel, a school he admired while growing up in the valley for its quality and commitment to providing a Christ-centered education.

Looking ahead, Alcoser says he is most looking forward to, “formulating relationships with colleagues and becoming part of the Immanuel family.” When asked what his goals are for his first year at Immanuel, he says, “A goal everyone should have is improvement. Looking ahead, I want to constantly be improving my lessons and instruction, making sure I am a better teacher every week.”

Camryn Orosco is a senior at Immanuel High School in Reedley, CA.