Michael Cromie

I was lucky to have opportunities to study and work abroad in my formative years. I like to think that those experiences have shaped a good chunk of my ever-evolving worldview and have led me to my previous role as a teacher on special assignment in the realm of tech integration in public school.

Previously, I was a high school social science teacher and always assumed that I would finish my career as such. But you've heard what happens when you assume, right?

I grew up in the shadow of LAX and the Great Western Forum, a product of LAUSD through middle school. After graduating from Carlsbad High, I made my way to UCSB and pursued a degree in music and religious studies. My time in Santa Barbara and my relationships with other students and faculty members opened doors for me to continue my education in unique ways.

I have seen happiness in the face of abject poverty as a foreign exchange student at Delhi University in India, and I have worked in a rural school district in southern Japan without access to much technology at all. I came back to beautiful California with all of its promise and decided to follow in my wife's footsteps and become a teacher.

When I think about where I want to put my time and energy these days, I know I need to be focusing on getting 21st century tools into the hands of our students and providing them with opportunities and experiences to develop their sense of self-efficacy in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. After all, this is the world my own boys will be inheriting.

After some deliberation, I have decided to accept a position at DATA, the DeAnza Academy of Technology and the Arts. I will be teaching 7th grade Language Arts and World Geography, no doubt playing a little sitar and 'ud along the way.

I'm proud to be a part of the magnet schools program here in the Ventura Unified School District and I look forward to affecting positive changes for the students and families of Ventura.