Introducing Mr. Gregory Saathoff
Meet Mr. Gregory Saathoff. He is our High School Computer Science teacher and it is his 1st year at AIS. Originally from Boise, Idaho in the United States, Mr. Saathoff is in his 4th year of teaching. We are excited to have him as part of our community. Read to find out more about him.
What is your favorite thing about being at AIS?
My favorite thing about AIS is that I am teaching classes I’m very passionate about. AIS is truly unique in making Computer Science a high school graduation requirement and I’m so thrilled to be able to teach introductory courses through challenging AP courses.
As faculty members we often talk about how proud we are of AIS students. Share one particular thing you’re proud of about our kids.
I’m particularly proud of the culture that the students create and maintain. Each day I witness students supporting each other and being genuinely “nice” people. I find that AIS students are engaged in their learning and usually give their best effort. This doesn’t mean all students make good choices all the time but students are quick to challenge each other when poor behavior is exhibited. For instance when I ask students to put away phones and devices when they are not needed for the learning we are doing, it happens very quickly. I’m proud our students are truly concerned about their learning.
Who inspires you? Why?
Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard. Having worked at HP for 24 years, I was exposed to a management style that was unique and forward looking. Both of these men deeply believed in people (specifically their employees) to do good and make the right decisions for customers. I try to reflect this belief in my classroom by providing some direction for students but count on them to make it personal and to make the right decisions for their learning.
Which famous deceased person would you want to have dinner with, and why?
Alan Turing so that I could gain insight into how he broke down problems and was able to create such insightful algorithms without the aid of today’s computational tools.
What’s in your lunchbox today?
Tunafish & tomato, apple, potato chips, a chunk of dark chocolate and milk.
What are some passions you explore outside of your career?
Family of course is a passion I love to explore through everyday life! I also love to alpine ski and explore a variety of environments, equipment, and techniques by planning trips all around the world.
