Derek Lu

A lover of Beyoncé, traveling and eating out, ninth grade Literature and Writing teacher Derek Lu’s first teaching job wound him back to where he grew up — only miles from the high school he attended, Lynbrook High School. From his time at LHS, Lu remembers feeling unable to express himself due to the school’s heavy emphasis on STEM and the limited options for literature courses. This confinement that Lu experienced over the years ultimately fueled him to pursue a career in teaching literature.

 

“There were hardly even Black authors assigned [when I was in school], except for some short stories, but all the novels we read were by white and usually male authors, and I knew that there was more to literature than just dead old white men,” Lu said.  “That really fuel[ed] my motivation to be an English teacher and to teach stories that students can relate to both culturally and in terms of the society that we live in today.”

 

Lu was offered two jobs, one in south San Francisco and the one he currently holds here at MVHS; he notes that the school in south San Francisco is more socioeconomically and racially diverse and had a greater need for social-justice-oriented teachers. Despite these facts, Lu still felt he would be better suited to FUHSD.

 

“This is actually my first teaching job, so I'm not only new to Monta Vista [but] I'm new to teaching as a profession, and it really is like serendipity that I ended up back in my old district,” Lu said. “I ended up choosing Monta Vista because I felt like even though this is a well-funded district, there's still a need for passionate teachers. I also felt like growing up in San Jose, I could relate to these students and be the English teacher that I never had before.”

 

Lu shares that the community has been his favorite part of his experience at MVHS, especially the students who have the tenacity to work hard in class.

 

“I see a lot of myself in these kids,” Lu said. “And if I can even sway a handful of kids to become English majors, I consider that a job well done.”

​