Taking a photo, of someone taking a photo: the photo paradox. Photo courtesy of MBHS English and Journalism teacher Ryan Mammarella. 

  San Luis Obispo High School Literature teacher Ivan Simon is retiring at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Former Morro Bay teacher Ryan Mammarella will be filling his role as AP Literature teacher. 

Expressions wanted to take this exciting opportunity to meet the newest member of our staff. 

Expressions: How long have you been teaching, and what got you into teaching?

English Teacher Ryan Mammarella: Next year will be my fourteenth year of teaching. I started “later” in my life, taking time to travel extensively and explore a variety of other jobs, including working in the restaurant industry (cook, manager, server, host, etc.), landscaping, coaching (swim), and personal training. Teaching is definitely what I’m supposed to be doing, but I wasn’t supposed to do it. All my parents were teachers, and as a kid, I swore that I would never become a teacher. However, no matter where I was or what I was doing, the allure of the classroom kept calling me back. Eventually, I gave in and have never regretted it.

Expressions: What will you be teaching at SLOHS? What made you passionate about that subject?

Mammarella: Tentatively (subject to change but not likely) I am set up to teach the following at SLOHS next year: AP Literature – there is nothing like the high of connecting with a class around a work of literature. Like a comedian getting a big laugh or like a chef getting just the right flavor balance in a dish, it is a feeling that lasts and stays with me long after the class is over. And it is addictive! I love diving into a story. I love examining the craft of a great writer. I love language. I love symbolism and interpreting meaning. I love examining what different characters and their interactions can tell us about ourselves and our own relationships. I love exploring cultures and identities other than my own. But most of all, I love creating environments where my students and I can love all these things together; English 11 – In addition to my previously stated love for the written word, I also love eleventh graders! I’ve had the pleasure of teaching eleventh grade “almost” every year that I have been a teacher. Eleventh grade is such an amazing age. No longer an underclassman but not yet a senior, eleventh grade is the year where everything takes on a bit more significance. Graduation is just around the corner and suddenly things that were previously years in the future are becoming realities of the present. Being a positive presence during this pivotal time of transition is one of the great honors bestowed upon me each year; Yearbook – I started teaching Yearbook at Morro Bay five years ago. I love the class and I’m really excited to continue teaching it at SLOHS next year! Yearbook allows me the opportunity to be a part of every class, club, sport, and activity on campus, so as a new teacher to SLOHS I will be jumping right in to establish a presence on campus and get to know everyone right away. I really feel like I’m just now getting the hang of how to create a really fantastic book, and I know the students at SLOHS will have incredible ideas and skills to bring to the table that will make each year’s book unforgettable. I’m also stoked to get to work with teachers like Mr. Roper and Mr. Heimerdinger to create photography, art, and graphic design that will take the yearbook to the next level.  

Expressions: What can we expect from you this following year?

Mammarella: Who knows? The stock answer here is to say that next year I will lay back, get a sense of what SLOHS is all about, and take in the culture by watching, observing, and taking it slow. But I know that’s probably not true! I take big chances as a teacher. I like pushing the normal to the abnormal by taking risks and redefining what is comfortable, acceptable, and possible in the classroom. What I can say for sure is that I will be collaborating with teachers from across the campus and learning from the students to get a sense of where the next few years will lead me.

Expressions: You mentioned a passion for philosophy in the practice class you taught to the students of English Teacher Brian Moss. Is there a potential class in the works about philosophy, or if not, will your class have some ties to that? 

Mammarella: My major in college was Philosophy (not English) so there is always an element of philosophy in everything that I do. I tend to look at English through the philosophical lens and try to incorporate different elements whenever possible. For example, when examining absurdism like “The Stranger” by Camus I might throw in some dialogues from Jean-Paul Sartre or when reading “Grapes of Wrath” by Steinbeck I will align with a unit on Transcendentalism. I like to use thought experiments frequently in my classes and Socratic Seminars are also a staple in my classroom. I would LOVE (with a capital L) to teach a class on Philosophy. 

  SLOHS is lucky to have an awesome new addition to the team in the following year. Make sure to welcome Mammarella to the campus for a great 2023–2024 school year!