Dave Piazza

High School Math Teacher and Outdoor Programs Coordinator; American

Dave Piazza is once, twice, always a Husky. He began his career teaching science but later shifted to math and outdoors as needs and interests changed. One thing that has never changed, though, is his devotion to the students' growth and joy in learning.

Where were you born?

Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

How long have you been teaching? How does teaching at HIS compare to other schools you've taught at?

I have been teaching since 1990. High school science until 2012, then high school math. I first started teaching at large California public schools. Large California public schools versus Hokkaido International School, well, too many differences to mention. The common feature in both, though, is great students that are a delight to teach.

What year did you come to HIS, and where were you working prior to HIS?

I came to HIS twice, the first time in 1994. I worked at California Public High School near Santa Rosa, California, about an hour north of San Francisco. I returned to the States, taught again in Northern California at a small private school, and returned to HIS in 2002.

What attracted you to come work at HIS?

In 1994, I was actually planning to move to Utah for its scenic beauty, but a yellow Post-it on my desk said JOB with a phone number underneath. I called the number, and within about a week, I was HIS’s new science teacher. 

When I returned to HIS in 2002, I was attracted to it because it was a small school that allowed me to teach all of the sciences. That usually doesn’t happen in large high schools like San Francisco. Additionally, working at a small school lets us know all of the students, so teaching an entire high school for multiple years was inspiring to me.

What do you think is the importance of choosing an international school that emphasizes the outdoors?

If you talk to any of the alumni, they often rave about some of the outdoor trips or that’s what they remember. When you ask them questions like, “What do you remember most, and what are some memories you had in high school?” they mention the outdoor trips. So I think international education is special for lots of reasons, but HIS is special because we have this little “frosting on the cake” outdoor program which is a memorable experience for lots of people. Sometimes it is the student's only chance to experience the outdoors because they are so busy with school or city life.

What is your perspective on learning outdoor education as an outdoor pursuits teacher?

Again, It’s not a course subject, it’s not crucial but it’s definitely if people get a chance to take it, I think it’s gonna be a memorable experience. Also, in the future, everyone should be involved in either a sport, outdoor activity, or something physical that is just gonna make your life more pleasurable and healthy. I think being outdoors is great, but sports are also great. Something active and exercising, just for your well-being or your health is so important. So that’s why I think to take outdoor pursuits or physical education and get involved in that post-education as a hobby for the rest of your life. I think you’ll be happy.

As a math teacher, what is your perspective on learning math?

My perspective on math is that half of it is learning math, and half of it is learning character. Whether it was getting that paper in the basket every time, building up this routine, or asking, “Can you do something that you don’t like to do, but you need to do.” Learning this lesson can impact your whole life because I don’t want to fill out taxes, but I have to. There is a lot of stuff that you do in life that you don’t want to do, but you have to get through it. That is one interesting thing that I learned while teaching math.

When did you first know you wanted to be a teacher?

At university, studying Electrical Engineering in my junior year ... I realized I certainly did not want to be an electrical engineer. Then I recalled what an impression my high school physics teacher made on me, and thought I’d give teaching a ponder. Before applying to a Graduate School of Education in California, you must volunteer 40 hours of service at a local school. So, while assisting a teacher in a local high school physics classroom, I knew becoming a teacher was my calling.

Although you majored in physics and are teaching math now, why did you want to teach outdoor pursuits?

Working with Mr. Cutler who did outdoor education similar to a major, I assisted in the outdoor leadership class until Mr. Cutler left when I decided to teach outdoor pursuits. Pursuits of the outdoors have a positive effect on lifestyle, as a hobby similar to some sort of sport or activity. So I was glad that he started that program here and that I kept it up.

In your terms, what is your teaching style?

In the evenings during my college years, I worked as a waitress to earn cash or tips. Waiting tables at a fine dining restaurant was similar to being on stage attempting to make the customers happy to energize them. So, I approached teaching in a similar way where I put on a show for my students to present why I loved science or why I wanted to teach math making the classroom feel more energized to help the students.

Lastly, if you had the opportunity to teach a different subject what would it be?

I liked watching modern dance on YouTube videos as a way to relax to see how incredible it is for one person to dance. In another life, I would most likely be teaching as a male dance teacher.