Get to Know Mr. Hogan

Welcome to My Website!

For a large part of my adult life, I have worked, in some capacity, in the world of education, and I have grown to love working with young people and helping them become well-rounded members of society. Before going off to college, I was able to work at Monte Vista Elementary in Santa Ana, California—I was brought in to help get the school’s technology under control. In just a year, I was able to repair most of the school’s older computers and then secure funding for many new systems—at the height of the California budget crisis. Even the youngest students expressed their gratitude for my efforts, and their thanks simply melted my heart. It broke my heart to leave in 2010 to off to college, but I was confident that I had made a positive impact on the school and the students during my short time at Monte Vista. While earning my BA in Legal Studies and English at the University of California, Berkeley, my eyes were opened to a new world that simply did not exist in suburban Orange County. I had the privilege to learn about different cultures, different ideologies, and political philosophies. I am who I am today, in part, due to my time at the University of California. In 2014, I returned to the district, and I took on many new roles in addition to my official position as a computer technician. After joining the Advanced Learning Academy team, I was given the opportunity to work with students one on one and in small group instruction to help them better understand both world history and comparative politics. I also helped facilitate a “MakerSpace” full of tools that help foster creativity while also teaching video productions, overseeing the creation of the weekly news, and worked to create a school yearbook. After earning my teaching credential in 2018, I received my first full-time teaching job with Washington Union School District at San Benancio Middle School. Like my time in Santa Ana, I have taken on many more roles beyond teaching History (and initially Literature as well). At San Benancio, I am currently serving as ASB director and I have also served as Director of Athletics and continue to facilitate the annual East Coast trip for the San Benancio eighth graders. In the end, my passion has long been history, and through all of my experience I have come to the realization that I make the most significant impact as a history teacher —being able to work with students to help them understand the intricacies of the world.

In addition to my passion for the humanities, I also love traveling the world. It is my sincere belief that through travel, one can learn a great deal about the world, its people, and our shared history. I am also an avid sports fan. I grew up rooting for the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Angels, became a fan of the California Golden Bears in high school, and was born a fan of the Los Angeles Rams. My family was devastated when the Rams relocated out of Southern California and starting in 2009, I took a leading role in the campaign to Bring Back the Los Angeles Rams. As such, one of my favorite sports memories was not a sporting event at all: it was Commissioner Roger Goodell announcing the return of the Los Angeles Rams in 2016. Some other cherished sports memories include the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, the 2019 and 2021 Big Games, and the 2018-19 Super Bowl run. In the end, not much else compares to having the pleasure of watching the epic come-from-behind victory for the Angels in Game Six of the 2002 World Series while in the stands at Anaheim Stadium and being in attendance at Sofi Stadium when the I and the long-suffering fans of the Los Angeles Rams witnessed them win Super Bowl LVI on their home field.

My Purpose

Since the late 1980s, there has been an unprecedented expansion of democracy and republican forms of government throughout the world. For the first time, many people were able to breathe free air and determine their own destiny. After that fateful time, however, there has been a growing distrust of democracy and international norms. This problem can be attributed to a sort of fundamental disconnect between people and history. Therefore, I feel like it is my civic duty to help reestablish that connection with our collective past not only for the betterment of individual students but for the betterment of society and the world. Apathy in the United States and in western nations is at an almost unprecedented level. In 2016, just under 55% of eligible voters went to the polls while the number was just over 50% in the record-setting 2018 midterms. I find these numbers extremely troubling. While I, as only one individual, cannot single-handedly fix the ills of western democracy, I do believe that I can help inspire students to find joy in, and get involved in the social sciences. I am a firm believer in guiding students towards a realization that events that took place hundreds or even thousands of years ago have, indeed, impacted their lives. That they, as individuals, can make a difference in our political system. They also need to understand that what happened in the past can help shape the future. One way in particular that I like to engage students in the social sciences is through alternate history—a particular event, nation, or era is fundamentally changed in some way, and the students have to critically think about how that might change things in the modern-day. Another way to keep students engaged is through debate. In my experience, many students like to have their voices heard on a particular topic, and it would be my intent to give students a forum to do just that.

We BROUGHT Back the Los Angeles Rams!