Madison Thomas was born in Ariel, Washington on May 25th, 1997. She lived in a small town near the woods/ forest where everyone knew everyone. She moved to California at 14 due to her dad getting a different job in 2011. She was a freshman in high school at Excelsior Charter High School in Victorville, CA and graduated in 2015, then attended Pepperdine University and graduated in 2019.
When she was in college she studied people from history like Columbus, Hitler, etc. But that is not what she studied first: first she wanted to study science since she wanted to be a doctor but she wasn’t a science person. That’s when she wanted to study history, which she enjoyed.
She also traveled a lot, which she also enjoyed. When she went to Germany she lived there for two years and also learned the language. She came to AJMS five years ago and still works here, which she enjoys. She is a history teacher here at AJMS and also the volleyball coach.
She has three pets, which are two dogs and one cat: the first dog’s name is Ellie, and she’s a Chihuahua and terrier mix, and another dog named Bean, and she’s a puppy, she’s only about seven months, and she’s also a Chihuahua mix, and then her cat, Guillermo. She had her cat Guillermo first and him for five years. And then her dog, Ellie, was her partner’s dog before and she has known Ellie for about two years and a half , and then Bean, she has had Bean since May of this year.
Her favorite holiday is Halloween she likes to dress up for that day and also if you go inside her room its most likely she will have decorations! She also has a lot of art on her wall made from students that are Halloween themed. She is one of the best teachers at AJMS since lots of people like to hangout or talk to her since she’s like a friend to students. She really misses Washington since it’s really different and really rainy so that means it’s really green all year long, so there’s just trees, nature and mountains everywhere. But she doesn’t miss the rain because she enjoys being able to do whatever she wants in California because weather doesn’t really stop us.
TRANSCRIPT:
Anilove Nino: Hi Miss Thomas.
Madison Thomas: Hi, Ani.
AN: Um, where were you born?
MT: I was born in Vancouver, Washington.
AN: Um, when were you born?
MT: On May 25th, 1997.
AN: At what age did you move to California?
MT: Um, I was 14 years old, so I was starting my freshman year of high school.
AN: Was it hard to make friends when you first moved to California?
MT: Yes, it was just because I went from a really small town where everyone knew everybody to a really, really big high school that had, like, 4,000 kids in it. So it was really hard to meet people at first because there were just so many people. But I made a lot of friends through sports.
AN: Um, like, were you shy at first?
MT: Um, I wouldn’t even necessarily say I was shy. It was just more like people already had, like their groups. And because it was such a big campus, it was just hard to, like, find my my way in at first, you know? But then I found that through playing sports.
AN: Okay.
AN: What made your parents decide to move to California?
MT: My dad got a different job, so he was a truck driver and he switched from working in Washington to California.
AN: When did he realize that he wanted to become a history teacher?
MT: I realized I wanted to become a history teacher, my first year of college because I, when I applied to college, I applied to be pre-med, like, to be a doctor and to study to be a doctor. But it was gonna be a lot of science classes, and I’m not really a science person, and I would have had to just be really stressed out throughout college, like getting the best grades. So I decided I was more excited to do something else with history, and that’s what led me to teaching.
AN: When you were, like, um studying history, like, was it, like fun since, like, you went to places
MT: Yes, it was really fun because in college, you get to pick your own classes, so you don’t just take, like, the same history classes if you’re a history major. You get to focus on different specializations. So, for example, when I lived in Germany, I took a whole class that was on Hitler and on the rise of the Nazis. And it just was focused only a whole semester of class, only on the Nazis. So it was really interesting.
AN: Did you like traveling a lot?
MT: Yes, I loved traveling. Europe is a lot different than America, and the cities are a lot different. They’re very walkable, so you can just walk around and explore. And it was really fun.
AN: Um, Did you learn any new languages?
MT: Yes, I do speak a little bit of German, but it’s hard because I don’t practice it ’cause nobody else speaks German…
AN: How long have you been at AJMS or in teaching in general?
MT: Yes, I changed a lot. I would say I go through eras. Like, I’m. I’m a Gemini and I change my style a lot and I every couple of years, I feel like I just change, you know, just depending on what I’m into at the time.
AN: Do you, like, like, do you like your students at the moment? You know, like, do you learn anything new about them?
MT: Yes, I learned so much for my students. Like, just being able to see the world through, like, student size and, like, through young people’s eyes is really just interesting, especially when I’m thinking of like, you know, news or current events and just hearing students’ opinions on that helps me learn a lot, helps me realize a lot of different things.
AN: Yeah, I realize that, um, that a lot of people trust and trust you, and I feel like, mostly the teachers.
MT: Thank you. Yeah, I love being there for students. That’s one of the reason why I wanted to be a teacher was to be able to talk to people. I’m a very social person and I like talking to people and, you know, like being friendly. So it works really well to be a teacher
AN: I think I know this answer, but we’re like, what’s your favorite season? Or, like, holiday?
MT: Halloween!
AN: Yeah, I realize you have a lot of Halloween things around the classroom.
MT: Yes, yeah, there’s a lot of Halloween stuff around. They’re up year round because I just think Halloween is a fun day. I like what it’s about. Um, dude, I can dressing up in Halloween?
MT: Yes, I love dressing up. I’m really excited for my school costume this year. Are You guys aren’t ready.
AN: Oh, I don’t know.
MT: Shh, no, it’s a surprise!
AN: Are yo going to be in the haunted hallway?
MT: Hopefully. That’s what I usually get to do, but it depends on if I get assigned that role.
AN: Um, where do you see yourself in five to ten years?
MT: In five to ten years, I hope to have a house and hopefully own a little bit of land and have a nice backyard so that my dogs can run around and so I can build a family.
AN: Um, do you miss, like, do you, like, when you used to, where would you?
MT: In Washington?
AN: Like, you miss, like, at, like, Washington?
MT: Yes, I really miss it. It’s really different. It’s really rainy, but that means that it’s really green all year long, so there’s just trees everywhere and nature everywhere in mountains everywhere. So I miss that, but I don’t miss the rain because I enjoy being able to do whatever I want in California because weather doesn’t really stop us.
AN: Um, right. Have you changed, like, when you were moving to California?
MT: Ooh, yes, I mean, I feel like I just learned a lot about the world when I moved. I was very sheltered in my small town, and, you know, everyone knew everyone since kindergarten, and it was very different to go to a bigger school and to meet people from different backgrounds, at different cultures and, yeah, definitely changed my life. But I’m glad that it happened.
AN: If you could teach any other subjects besides history what would it be?
MT: Ooh, that’s a great question. I think I would want to teach. English, I guess, ’cause it’s the closest history, but I I would only see myself teaching history.
AN: Um, Why would it be English?
MT: It would be English because I do like reading, and I like, like, discussing things, and I’m not a super good, like, I don’t love math or science.
AN: I get that…
AN: How many pets do you have? Like, right?
TM: How many what?
AN: How many pets do you have?
TM: Well, I have two dogs and one cat.
AN: What’s their name?
MT: So, my first dog’s name is Ellie, and she’s a Chihuahua rat terrier mix. And then I have another dog named Bean, and she’s a puppy, she’s only about seven months, and she’s also a Chihuahua mix. And then I have my cat, Guillermo.
AN: And how long have you been having those pets for?
MT: So I got my cat Guillermo first. I’ve had him, I got him in 2020, so I’ve had him for five years. And then my dog, Ellie, was my partner’s dog before, and then, um, so I’ve known Ellie for about two and a half years and then Bean, we just got in May..
AN: What’s your favorite thing about teaching?
MT: If you think about teaching AJMS is that it’s a small school, so it’s nice to be able to have students for multiple years in a row or to know students in sixth grade and then still know them all the way through eighth grade.
AN: Yeah, I know that. I had you for Summer Bridge, and now I have a four history for eighth grade.
MT: Yes, and you have me for seventh grade. Wow, yeah, see, that’s really special. I got a bigger school. I might not have even met you, you know, if we went to a bigger school. So it’s cool to be able to watch you guys grow. And I like that a lot of students go upstairs to ARB because then I get to still see kids even when they’re about to graduate high school.
AN: Yeah, I already appreciate you being my teacher.
MT: Oh, thank you, Ani. I really appreciate you interviewing me.
AN: Thank you!
AN: Um, last question, have you, have you ever learned? Have you learned anything new while teaching?
MT: Yes, I feel like I’ve learned how to be more patient and understanding and just realize, like, you know, just because somebody does something and you think they’re doing it for a certain reason, like, there might be something else going on. There might be another reason that caused them to be that way. So it’s helped me be a lot more patient with people.
AN: Yeah, I know it’s hard. Like, having a lot of students and like, different periods.
MT: Yeah, it can be crazy. You remember sixth period last year.
AN: Yeah.
MT: Yeah, so, it definitely helps me grow, which is also valuable for outside of school, too, and like outside of work, you know, I feel like I am very confident talking to people because I’m a teacher, because I know how to handle people.
AN: Thank you, Miss Thomas!
MT: Yeah, you’re welcome!
