Whether it is telling her students to make paper airplanes or their own imaginary governments or simply giving a lecture based on textbooks, student teacher Alisa Garrett has found the perfect way to engage her American Government and Economics students.

“The activities Ms. Garrett plans are fun and give us a better understanding of the chapter at the same time,” said senior Ani Mard.

Being interactive in class and being able to share her knowledge with students is one of Garrett’s main goals of teaching, and even the reason why she became a teacher. She said she hopes her students will be able to increase their knowledge with the information she shares with them.

“One of the challenges of being a new teacher is finding lessons that are challenging enough, but yet interesting,” Garrett said. By teaching Nicholas Doom’s two Economics and one American Government class, she has the chance to test her lessons and experience working with high school seniors every day.

With a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UC Riverside, Master’s from California State University, Northridge, and her teaching credential from California State University, Los Angeles, she is prepared to teach everything she knows to her students. “Ms. Garrett is preparing us for college by teaching us the way her professors taught her,” said senior Edric Mirzoian.

Garrett’s teaching style has not only helped her students grasp the ideas in her lessons, but has also made Government and Economics a favorite subject for some students. “I enjoy Government now,” said senior Giselle Marquez. “[Ms. Garrett] makes it interesting.”

So far Garrett has received a warm welcome from both Clark’s faculty and students and hopes to return back as a teacher and teach her favorite subject, American government.