What is identity and how do we study it? How have ideas about race, gender, and sexuality been created, sustained, and changed over time? Who benefits from these ideas? How have we been socialized to perpetuate stereotypes and biases toward groups of people? How do gender and identity intersect with race and class? How do power, socialization, the media, and stereotypes effect our private and public lives? Students will examine the work of important thinkers on race, class consciousness, and identity and engage in authentic and personal discussions in order to connect their experiences to the larger world.
Kevin Shertzer grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and obtained a B.A. in History from Yale University and M.Ed. from UCSB. He has taught in Laguna Blanca's Social Sciences department since 2002, and currently serves as the History Department Chair and Middle School Boys Soccer Coach.
Before teaching, Kevin played in a band, was a professional soccer player, and ran sled dogs in Minnesota. His other hobbies include ceramics, guitar and banjo, staying fit, the occasional video game, watching Premier League soccer, fishing, and camping.
Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Daisy earned her BA at UC Berkeley in Political Science with a minor in History, and her MA at Loyola Marymount in Educational Policy and Administration. Having been selected for the Teach For America Rising Leader Fellowship, Daisy brings strong experience to Laguna as a K-12 educator and leader. She has taught both history and English for multiple years in the Bay Area, and most recently, served as the After School Program Coordinator at The Turner Foundation. Daisy is passionate about designing student-centered curriculum, building community, and helping students develop their potential. She will be taking over Mr. Guay’s current classes, which include all three sections of World History I, as well as one section each of World History II and US History.
Charlie Aslesan (Mr. A) comes to Laguna Blanca from St. Paul, Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts in English, Education & Family Studies from Saint Olaf College where he was also the Co-Captain of their basketball team. Mr. A has over five years of teaching experience in Middle and Upper School Social Studies and English courses, including seventh grade Geography. In 2021, he was the recipient of the Saintly Service Halo Award, which goes to two educators in the entire state of Minnesota, recognizing excellence in the development of students.
Victoria was born in South Africa, where most of her extended family still lives. She has lived in France, England, Botswana, Switzerland and Greece. Victoria began teaching at the University of San Diego in the ESL Adult program. Immediately after university, she joined the Peace Corps and taught English in Mahalapye, Botswana where she developed a school library, created the Form 1 and Form 2 English Examinations in accordance with the Ministry of Education Requirements as well as a national competitive English team and essay competition. After her adventures in France and England, she taught Language Arts & Humanities to grades 7-12 in Seattle, Washington in both public and private schools; domestic and ELL; and standard, honors and AP classes. In 2005, she finished her master’s in teaching degree, and in 2009 she obtained National Board Certification. Driven to further master not only her writing skills, but also her instruction of writing, she earned an MFA degree in 2017.
Victoria is thrilled to return to the beach after so many years in rainy Seattle. She enjoys daily runs with her two Weimaraner dogs. She is excited to join the Owl family and to become a part of the Santa Barbara community.
Kevin Thomas Guay earned his master's degree from California State University, Northridge, and his doctorate in history from the University of Texas at El Paso. He is married to the beautiful and talented Mrs. Courtney Guay, who teaches art at Laguna's Lower School campus. The couple has two young sons, Killian and Callan. For fun, Kevin enjoys reading, writing, and playing video games.
When Mayumi was studying Tibetan in Lhasa, she saw a shop sign that read, “Strange Magic Place.” She thought this sign could as easily describe much of the natural world and human endeavor as it did the souvenirs for sale in the shop. Discovering the depths of this world’s strangeness and magic has also motivated much of her formal study, which has led to her BA in English Literature from McGill University and her current PhD candidacy in Religious Studies at UC Santa Barbara. Mayumi was born and raised in Los Angeles but has lived in Japan, Mongolia, India, and Nepal. Before joining Laguna, she taught undergraduates at UCSB as well as grades 7-12 at Anacapa School. Prior to teaching, she worked as a writer, researcher, and arts administrator in the non-profit sector. She loves being in the classroom and aspires to inspire in her students the same curiosity about and careful inquiry into the world around them that she is grateful to have learned from her own teachers.
In addition to serving the LBS community at the Isham Library & Nylen Academic Research Center, Al is currently completing his Ph.D. at UC Santa Barbara in religious studies. He specializes in the history and philosophy of American religion and is writing his dissertation on the late American author David Foster Wallace, specifically on Wallace’s famous Kenyon College commencement address, This Is Water. Al taught academic writing at UCSB for over four years, and works with students as an educational coach/tutor. Before coming to Santa Barbara, Al worked as a biomedical researcher & laboratory manager (cancer biology) at his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania--an experience which greatly developed both the breadth and depth of his educational skills.
Jill was raised in Goleta and has been teaching in local schools for the past 6 years. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from Sacramento State University before pursuing her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and Master's in Education from UC Santa Barbara. She brings diverse classroom experience to Laguna Blanca, serving most recently as a Sixth Grade teacher and previously as a GATE, Reading and Math Intervention teacher. She is excited to be a part of the fantastic Laguna Blanca Middle School team!
