Jared Pangier

High School English Teacher, AP Capstone, Publications & Promotions; American

Jared Pangier has spent more than a third of his life living in Japan, with over a decade at Hokkaido International School. While he loves exploring different parts of the world, there's something about Hokkaido that just feels like home. He teaches AP Literature and Composition, AP Language and Composition, AP Seminar, AP Research, MS Creative Writing, and Publications. He also began HIS Reads and HIS Writes, was a co-creator of the Huskies Legacy Project (now the Character Development Graduation Portfolio), was the inventor of the Outdoors Green and White Plan, and initiated a push to make reading more accessible across the school through the Micro-Libraries. If you want to know how long he's been at HIS, you should just check how long HIS Reads has been around. Since 2022, Jared has helped promote the school through marketing and promotions. He aspires to be a famous, hope-inspiring novelist someday, but will always make time for teaching in some way. One of his biggest joys is also his biggest distraction. Sometimes, just sometimes, delicious powder snow trumps all.

Where were you born?

St. Louis Park, Minnesota

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

2014. Before that I was at an international school in Taiwan, which was preceded by graduated school and teaching in Hawaii. Four years away from four seasons was too much for me to bear. No matter how paradise-like the weather can be in the subtropical parts of the world, I love living in a place where ongoing change exists. I also can't get enough of snow. Winter is my favorite season. 

What attracted you to come work at HIS?

During graduate school, in my longing for four seasons and snow, I stumbled across the HIS website, ogled their outdoors program, and called up the current headmaster at the time to enquire about future positions. He suggested I finish my degree and certification and keep tabs on current openings. I did that. While teaching in Taiwan, a brief visit to see my wife's family on Honshu reminded both of us how much we like Japan and love Hokkaido. That same year a position opened up for English at HIS and the rest, as they say, is HIStory. Pun always intended. Or if not, I'll still take credit for it.

How important was it to choose an international school with an emphasis on the outdoors?

Extremely important. Having grown up in Minnesota, I spent much of my childhood building forts in the woods or snow forts in—well, the snow. That background paired with my growing love for mountains (Niseko, Nagano, Hawaii, Taiwan) and my craze over snow and snow sports makes HIS a great fit. 

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

I have been a certified teacher since 2012 but have been teaching in various forms (trainer, assistant language teacher, conversation teacher, mentor program coordinator) since 2003. Teaching at HIS is wonderful because of the holistic approach to human development. HIS values academics, but also the outdoors, arts, service, and community. All of these aspects contribute to who we are as people and HIS is in the business of nurturing people to enter the world with a myriad of experiences and skills, and an-ever evolving understanding of the world and our unique role in that world. 

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

It's hard to say. When I was younger, I would often teach my friends "how" to play video games after I solved them myself. I found that I enjoyed that a lot, but, of course, in middle school, I wasn't really thinking about a calling or career. Nothing in my high school years led me toward teaching. In university, I chose to major in computer science at my small liberal arts college in Minnesota as I saw the subject as a fun challenge. Most of my time in university was spent studying, wrestling, and enjoying college life, but somewhere along the line, I decided I wanted more. 

My university had many options for studying abroad. I picked Australia on a whim for its unique animals. There, I learned how to surf and even jumped out of a plane. I saw plenty of kangaroos. Later, in New Zealand, I went bungee jumping, hang gliding, jet boating below jagged cliffs, and even rode in a helicopter through a canyon. I was stunned by the natural beauty of New Zealand and had gotten hooked on adrenaline and adventure. Later, in Fiji, I went snorkeling and was amazed at the new underwater world. Fiji was followed by a quick trip through Singapore where I marveled at the intermingling of cultures and languages. I flew back on Christmas Day 2002 to finish my undergraduate degree. I presented my honors thesis, and was approved, but still had no idea what I would do in the future. I was torn.

Would I pursue a job in the field that I studied or would I respond to my growing wanderlust?

In the end, I hedged my bet and applied to a slew of jobs that offered one of the two options. I was given my first memorable true choice: a job working at a small computer company that loved my skills and character or a job teaching English conversation in Tokyo, Japan. I debated with myself but in the end...Wanderlust won out.

In Japan, I continued to travel, visiting most of Honshu in the two years I lived there. But one day, a friend said, "You've been everywhere in Japan, but you've never snowboarded. Why don't you come with us on a trip to Nagano?" I agreed and picked up a new joy in the process: snowboarding. The rush of floating over lighter-than-air snow, the stunning views, the challenge! I was hooked!

My new love would later lead me to Hokkaido where I would, once more, pick up experiences that would make my path less certain. Working in management at Niseko provided a third option for my future, leaving me asking family and friends for their insight on my life. My aunt provided the guidance that moved me down my current path: "Teaching is a noble profession. You can help people and it's a better fit for you." Those words, combined with my own feeling and advice from my fiance led me to the University of Hawai'i Manoa for grad. school and a life of teaching.

Now, I am extremely happy with my choices and the path I walk. I plan to teach in some way until I can't, with further aspirations to write a stunning novel or two or three or ten that inspire others to hope and to live a life that is filled with joyous growing. 

Why do you teach what you teach?

Good question! In high school, my favorite subject was physics. I also liked math and English. In college, I chose to study computer science as a challenge. It came with many math classes. Fortunately, I also selected a liberal arts college where I got to study great books, Dostoevsky, economics, geomorphology, and philosophy to name a few. Then, I moved to Japan to teach English conversation. That two-year stint was followed by me moving back to America at the beckon of family. In America, I became a short-term long-term care insurance agent and a slightly longer-term personal banker. During my time as a banker, I met a person who changed my outlook on life. He was a short, Asian man. He walked into the bank holding some important-looking documents with a written script that looked familiar. When I found out he was from Cambodia, I shared about my backpacking trip through S.E. Asia, and we hit it off and chatted more. But eventually, one less-than-careful question led to him sharing about his four-year survival in Cambodia. His story was so powerful that I knew it had to be told. Someone had to tell it. I asked if I could. He agreed and then I spent years trying to figure out how to do it.

When I was accepted to my Master of Education in Teaching program my advisor asked me to pick a subject to specialize in. I chose English because I thought if I learned how to teach English to others that also might improve my own ability at writing. I thought it would help me learn how to tell my friend's story. And it has. I have many, many versions of his story and my writing has gotten better and better. I even had one agent on the fence about bringing one version of the story to a publisher, but she tipped the other way. Regardless, my journey to becoming a better writer through teaching has been and continues to be successful. I have a couple of published articles about the outdoors (Backcountry adventure: hiking out from Hakuginsou) and, most importantly, a burning passion and ever-growing ability to write. Now, I promote literacy through HIS Reads, HIS Writes. I teach creative writing to middle school. I teach argument, research, and analysis through AP Capstone, AP Language and Composition, and AP Literature, and I teach students about the principles of promotion and report-style writing through publications. In short, I get to read, write, speak, and listen—inspiring others to do the same—for my job. On top of that, I get to share my passion for the outdoors and this beautiful place called Hokkaido. It's been a circuitous route to get where I am but I am, presently, very happy with my present. I will continue to grow and evolve myself and my impact on the world around me just as I move toward my future dreams. Those other dreams will come.

What's the most important thing in the world to you?

God. Family. Friends. Snow. Reading. Writing. Inspiring others to live a good life. In that order.

As a lover of words, what are your favorites?

Is it okay if I cheat on this one? I read these in a book and they've stuck with me. Just 7 words.

Use things.

Love People.

Worship the Divine.