aka Michael Zysk, Mr. Z, or Disco-Zysko  

 

I teach to disrupt despair. Rather than reinforcing structures that oppress young people, I intend their self-determination. My experiences teaching since 1997 across all major demographic groups require that I interrogate my own privilege. Title I communities have transformed me, where I continually learn far more than I teach what love and solidarity can achieve. 

 

Learning that lasts happens through a bond. Long before the need for restorative and social justice or trauma-informed care, pre-colonial societies saw their youth as a communal whole. Rather than two parents, a young person once grew up among all the adults whom they regarded as a parent-mentor. Anthropologists Schlagel and Barry (1991) have named this dynamic a “parent peer.” It is right, even vital, that we embrace all young people as our own. 

 

I’m proud to serve the students and staff of Encina Preparatory High where I currently teach English, creative writing, and restorative practices. I’ve recently been selected to lead an effort coordinating services and expertise to foster an emotionally safe and connected school culture. I am privileged to collaborate with members of our San Juan Unified Equity Team and the professors of the Social Justice Institute of California State University, Sacramento, as we continue to draw forth the resilience in our youth.

 

I am committed to my kids.