Mr. Chihiro Ikezi, one of our physics teachers, has been teaching at Saint Francis for the past 25 years. He has taught AP Physics, Conceptual Physics, Physics Honors, and regular Physics but most recently has primarily taught the latter two. Aside from teaching, he moderates the Guitar Club, which Lancers may recognize for the Friday jams after school; the Car Club, as he is a car enthusiast; and the Building and Design Club (formerly the Science and Engineering Club), which builds with Legos, goes on science trips, and has sci-fi movie nights.
The Lancer: From a student perspective, what was your experience like in high school and university?
Mr. Chihiro Ikezi: I was very lucky because school came pretty easy to me, and so I tried really hard in the classes that were interesting to me and applied to real life, which was mostly things like physics, auto shop, woodshop, and things like that. So I tended to do well in those classes—and other classes, I don’t think I worked hard enough. And [in] college, I really had to learn to work a little harder because then everybody’s doing really well, et cetera. I really enjoyed school, mostly because I like learning. And I didn’t like the busy work; that’s why in my class, I tend to focus on making class interesting and applicable to real life and not as much just doing worksheets everyday and things like that.
TL: What led you to become a teacher? Was it something you always knew you wanted to do, or more of a gradual realization?
CI: In high school, I had a really good physics teacher, Mr. Harvey; he still teaches at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego. And when I was in college, I thought about what I wanted to do with my life. I thought, I really liked being with kids, I like science, I like coaching sports, so my wife said to me, “Why don’t you try teaching in high school?” And so my first job out of college, I was working for a construction company as a project engineer, and then I went to night school to get my teaching credential and Masters. And then I got a job at Del Mar High School in Campbell, and my master teacher there was also just like my high school teacher—she was really cool. And that’s when I realized this is what I wanted to do for a living. I just enjoy being around the kids.
TL: What makes Saint Francis special to you as an educator, and how do you think it reflects in students’ experiences?
CI: I’ve worked at public schools, and I went to public school. And I don’t know if it’s the difference between public or private schools, but at Saint Francis, I know that all the teachers here are really here because they like kids. And I don’t think it’s like that everywhere. I think the older teachers that were here, when I started working here, they were all about sacrificing, taking on extra classes, you know, changing rooms more for the younger teachers, and it was just, it was very family oriented. So I really, I think what makes Saint Francis special is the teachers. I mean, I understand all the teachers at all schools really like kids, but I think here there’s something extra about it. You know, you see teachers at kid events, sporting events, musicals, after school events. You don’t see that in most schools, and a lot of the coaches and moderators are also teachers. So I think we’re just very heavily invested in the community. And when my kids went here, they had the same experience. They felt like the whole school really supported them.
TL: What do you like to do outside of the classroom?
CI: I like playing my drums. Mr. McEvoy and I go to toy conventions because we love collecting vintage toys. Same with Coach Wun. And I love movies, and I love hiking—my wife and I do long hiking trips. In fact, we’re hiking the Portugal leg of the Camino de Santiago this summer. My wife and my daughter did the original Camino across all of Spain last summer. I like traveling. My wife and I, we’re foodie people, so we make trips based around trying out new restaurants. What else? Oh, I also like playing sports. And because my knees are bad now, I picked up pickleball—I used to play tennis in high school. And I know that means I’m old. But a lot of things like that. And basically, the last ten years of my life, I’ve been going to my kids’ sporting events. And now that they’re in college, I’m discovering more things to do. I’m always looking for new things to do, mostly outdoors.
TL: Could you explain your teaching philosophy and how you exemplify it in the classroom?
CI: My teaching philosophy is, I try to emulate the teachers that I thought were good when I was a student. Because I didn’t like some subjects and didn’t do well in all subjects, I try my hardest to make physics and science about learning real life examples, life lessons—you know, useful things. And my job, my philosophy has always been [to] get kids excited about science, maybe again, or continue so that they’ll take more science classes in college. So that’s pretty much my mission, which is to get kids excited about learning about every kind of science.
TL: What do you hope students get out of your class, even if they don’t want to pursue a future in science or engineering?
CI: Just a better understanding about how life works. And also, hopefully, I get across moral messages about doing the right thing and doing what’s good for the planet and being safe. Just an appreciation for science, even if you’re not a big science person—at least you know how things work and how learning about as many things as possible is so important for personal growth. That’s my philosophy.
TL: What is the most rewarding and most taxing part of your job?
CI: Most rewarding is when kids come back and visit, and they still talk about how they enjoyed science or [how] they went into science. And I’ve had alumni come back from last year’s students to twenty years ago. So that’s my favorite part, when kids come back to tell me how they’re doing. And I think the most taxing part probably… nothing really. I mean, I don’t find anything negative or taxing.
TL: Not even grading?
CI: I mean, it’s okay—the grading I like because I can see kids progress. To be totally honest with you, I feel like I have the best job. I love it. And that’s why the past 25 years feels like just a couple of years. I know that sounds cheesy.
TL: Do you have any advice for students who might be unsure of what they want to do in the future?
CI: Try as many different things as possible, and don’t make decisions based on money, or power, or position; just follow what you want to do. Just know that you’re going to have to grind for a few years to try and figure out what you really want to do. You won’t know if you really like it or not like it unless you do it. So I say, a) travel, b) try as many different things as possible, and c) know that sometimes it takes a lot of years to figure out what you really want to do. It doesn’t come right away, and there is no time schedule that’s correct for everyone. Everyone’s on their own path.
TL: Now we have some lightning round questions. Which current Saint Francis teachers have you taught?
CI: Oh geez, there’s a lot of them. Mr. Pompei, Mr. Pasion, and Ms. Boesiger. Ms. Joslyn—her name was Schlemmer when she was here. Let’s see, I know I’m missing some. Oh, Ms. Deale. Ms. Teekell, the principal; haha, that’s a big one. And Ms. Ladd. I had her and her sister. There’s some more; I just can’t think right off the top of my head. There’s a lot. I think last time I counted there were, like, ten of them.
TL: If you had to teach a non-STEM class, what would it be?
CI: Probably history. I love historical stuff—I watch the History Channel all the time. And I didn’t really like history in high school because it’s a lot of memorizing things, but in college we talk more about the people and why things happen, and I like current events. I think that history and physics have the most real life applications and a wide variety of things that you can learn about.
TL: What are three words you would use to convince students to take your class? Better than Rubin?
CI: I actually taught Mr. Rubin everything he knows—I was his mentor teacher like twenty years ago. I would say a) it’s challenging, but I think b) it’s rewarding. And c) I try to make it (I don’t know if this is a word, but) real-life-applicable. Hopefully it’s entertaining as well. We don’t want to make class boring.
TL: Do you have a celebrity crush, and if so, who is it?
CI: For my celebrity crush, although I’ve had a thing for Charlize Theron since I was a kid, my real celebrity crush is Eddie Van Halen, the guitarist for the band Van Halen (my favorite band), hence the poster behind my desk. I love Eddie, aka the greatest guitar player to ever live, and [I] wish I was him or in the band with him.
TL: What’s your favorite food?
CI: Although I love all Japanese food because my mom was a really good chef, my absolute favorite thing to eat is my wife Christy’s baked goods (because she owns a bakery). Especially her chocolate croissants!
TL: What’s your favorite car model?
CI: I’m hoping some way, someday to get a 1969 or ’70 Mustang Boss or Mach 1. One of the old Fastback Mustangs.
We hope this interview has given an insight into Mr. Ikezi’s headspace; there’s a lot there!
Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
