The 2023-2024 school year is off to a great start, and as students and teachers adjust to the rhythm of the new semester, we’re excited to welcome sophomore English teacher Ms. Cady Giles to Arcadia High School (AHS).

Ms. Giles grew up in Claremont, CA, and went to Claremont High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree at San Diego State University, where she majored in political science. After that, she went to Concordia University Irvine, where she got her teaching credentials.

When asked why she swapped from political science to teaching English, Ms. Giles replied, “Political science can be a little limiting…English is a bit more broad, and I also enjoyed English a lot more.” 

Ms. Giles describes her teaching style as having students learn from their peers.

“As far as teaching, I really see myself as more of a facilitator of learning,” she said. “I like to create structure at the beginning of the year and then kind of get more lenient.”

Part of the reason why Ms. Giles wanted to become a teacher was because of the many teachers that left a lasting impression on her when she was a student. 

“They’ve inspired me to become a teacher and give back to students the same way they gave so much to me. Also, I really enjoy literature and learning new things every day, and teaching is a fun way to get to do both,” said Ms. Giles. “I like having sophomores because they’ve overcome the unknowns of freshman year and haven’t started to stress about the future quite yet the way juniors and seniors do. They’re the perfect in-between.”

When asked why she chose AHS, Ms. Giles explained that she “definitely knew that [AHS] had a good reputation for teaching. So that was a factor.” 

In her free time, Ms. Giles likes to explore small coffee shops as it “kind of gives [her] a good idea of the town.” Besides chilling at local coffee shops, Ms. Giles also goes to the beach and reads to escape and unwind.

The beginning of the school year can be scary and exciting at the same time. We’re glad to have Ms. Giles join us for the 2023-2024 school year.