Name
Pedro (PJ) Cabrera

Number of years teaching
7th year in education

Name(s) of media you advise
The Fuel student newspaper, The Rocket campus yearbook

School Name & City
Judson High School, Converse, Texas

TAJE region
Region 7 – ESC 12 & 13

Most unusual item in/on your desk?
My Whataburger Tumblr

Favorite deadline snack?
Tacos

Nicknames your students have given you?
Cabrera

Superpower you’d want as a teacher?
Patience

What is the reason you love teaching journalism?
My journalism teacher in high school was one of the best people I’ve never meet.

What is the most important lesson a student has ever taught you?
Getting to know them, talking to them like normal human beings, is the best classroom management skill you’ll ever learn.

What is the most important element to a successful program?
Fun.

Describe your favorite lesson to teach.
Current Events Friday – Rather than teaching a lesson, every Friday, we have “Current Events Friday,” a day of just pure discussion. Students are required to have three current events per grading period. I go around the room and call students, who are required to tell me the 5W and 1H for their current event. We have a discussion about its importance, which can lead to a 5-minute discussion to a 45-minute passionate discussion. This is my favorite lesson because it forces students to be engaged members of society. Some have even said that Current Events Friday has made them watch the news.