About me

I am a father to five children (mostly adults now). I am originally from Jamaica and have alternated living there and in the US since I was a kid. Besides Jamaica, I’ve lived in Las Vegas, Chicago, and Los Angeles. I earned my Bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago, and I am currently working on a Master’s degree in Education from UNLV.

I have been fortunate to pursue two professional passions in life. Before teaching, I spent 25+ years working successfully in film and advertising. I always wanted to teach, though, so I took the leap to become a teacher. Luckily, I knew I was where I was meant to be from day one in the classroom.

It brings me joy to help students connect the skills we learn in English class to practical uses in their current and future lives. Therefore, I ask students and their families to think of high school as training for “real life.” My students are professional students training for their next steps. If you do your job well, you will increase the amount of professional opportunities you have in the future. The most wonderful thing about this job is that it’s the place to put yourself out there, make mistakes, and learn from them to prepare you for the “real thing.” And guess what? I’ll be right there with you, pushing myself, making mistakes, and learning with you.

Ben Stanigar