It is tricky to write about one's life; how do you shorten so many experiences into just a summary?  Well, here are some things about me that make me proud.  I have taught over 400 students in my career so far, and that makes me the proudest.  I have been teaching students in Room 12 at A.L.E. for 16 years.  When you count other schools and my other A.L.E. classroom, the 2019-20 school year will be my 20th as a full-time teacher.  I have taught all grades, K-8, in some capacity.  Another thing that makes me proud is that as of 2018, I have been to all 50 states of the U.S.A.  Not many individuals accomplish that, especially if they are still working full-time.  I have my Masters Degree in Education Administration, and that makes me proud.  I am hoping to one day achieve a doctoral degree, but first I have some student loans to pay off.  My bachelor of arts degree was in sociology with a minor in political science, and then I added a certificate in urban planning.  I went back to school much later for my multiple subject teaching credential and then the masters.  When I need to provide transcripts, I contact eleven schools:  Mt. San Jacinto College, Crafton Hills College, California Baptist Univeristy, Oklahoma Baptist University, University of Redlands, University of York (England), California State University San Bernardino, Stephen F. Austin State University, San Jose State University, Point Loma Nazarene University, and Chaffey College.  As you can see, I truly enjoy learning, and that makes me proud.  My very best teachers have been my students.  Leonardo da Vinci, said, "Poor is the pupil who does not surpass his master," and Don Robinson said, "A great teacher has always been measured by the number of his students who have surpassed him."  While I am sharing about my teaching philosophy let me add one more quote from Alice Wellington Rollins, who says, "The test of a good teacher is not how many questions he can ask his pupils that they will answer readily, but how many questions he inspires them to ask him which he finds it hard to answer."  Although I am proud when my students can answer my many questions, I love it best when they ask their own.  I am a third generation Californian.  I was born here, my mom and dad were born here and my grandparents were born here in California.  My great-grandparents became citrus growers in Orange County when they moved to California after being born in other states of the United States.  Yes, indeed, I love California oranges!  I know a little Spanish, Farsi, and American Sign Language but cannot fluently speak or completely understand anything except English.  When I was in high school I was an American Field Service exchange student to New Zealand where I lived on a sheep farm and studied at Hawarden Area School in both 6th and 7th form.  In college I took advantage of the Beaver College study abroad program to study at University of York in England and travel to thirteen European countries for a total of sixteen countries on three continents visited so far.  My current travel goal is to visit all of the Canadian provinces and at least one place on all seven continents.  There are some questions you may still have about my life.  I was once married and lived on a chicken farm.  I am now divorced.  I have no children and currently have no pets.  Even so, I manage to keep quite busy with family and friends, and of course, preparing lessons for my terrific students.  Besides traveling, in my free time I enjoy visiting the Disneyland Resort as an annual passholder and being a spectator of motorsports of all kinds.  My dad was an owner and driver of a midget class car when I was growing up.  Alta Loma Elementary School makes me proud.  I love everything about our school; its families, students, teachers, proctors, custodians, administration, and its location, history, trees, wildlife, windows, and more.  If you don't know the story, Alta Loma Elementary, established in 1952, once contained the entire school district.  It was grades K-8 and the district support center all in one.  It is the heart of our district and the heart of our community.  Multiple generations of families have attended Alta Loma Elementary School.  I have served in many capacities aside from being a classroom teacher.  I have been the Title I Cooridinator, Student Study Team Member and Coordinator, Yearbook Advisor, Track Coach Assistant, Summer School Lead Teacher, Site Council Member, Science Fair Committee Member, Lefty's Reading Challenge Coordinator, Leadership Team Grade-Level Representative, after school program teacher, Wellness Committee representative, and more.  I am here to serve you!  Contact me at tchiever@alsd.org if I can be of assistance.