Bio
Mr. Gonzales is a highly experienced Catholic school educator who is passionate about
teaching and student advocacy. He has taught successfully for 40+ years at all grade levels
including the primary, intermediate, middle school, high school, community college, and
university levels. He has taught within Catholic, public, and private school settings. Within
those various settings, Mr. Gonzales has served as a multiple-subjects teacher,
departmentalized teacher, CTE teacher, STEM teacher, ESL teacher, department chairperson,
adjunct lecturer, curriculum director, and vice-principal. His formal education include a Master
of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Science degree, an Associate of Science degree, two California
Teaching Credentials, and a Certificate of Catholic Catechesis (CSUSB, UCLA, Don Bosco
Technical Institute, and Mount Saint Mary’s College).
teaching and student advocacy. He has taught successfully for 40+ years at all grade levels
including the primary, intermediate, middle school, high school, community college, and
university levels. He has taught within Catholic, public, and private school settings. Within
those various settings, Mr. Gonzales has served as a multiple-subjects teacher,
departmentalized teacher, CTE teacher, STEM teacher, ESL teacher, department chairperson,
adjunct lecturer, curriculum director, and vice-principal. His formal education include a Master
of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Science degree, an Associate of Science degree, two California
Teaching Credentials, and a Certificate of Catholic Catechesis (CSUSB, UCLA, Don Bosco
Technical Institute, and Mount Saint Mary’s College).
Mr. Gonzales’ educational philosophy is deeply influenced by the “Preventive System
of Education” inspired by St. John Bosco, a Catholic priest and founder of the Salesian Order.
This “Preventive System” rests on these three fundamentals: Reason, Religion, and
Kindness. To St. John Bosco and his Salesian educators, Reason translates into the educator’s
openness to reasonable dialogs with students, rather than a formal–style that creates a class
system between educators and students. Dialogs of this familiar nature necessitate the
educator’s gentle presence among students, the creation and maintenance of a warm and
inviting environment, a common sense approach toward the application of rules, and a
willingness to expel the effort required to transform and uplift the heart of a student when
correction, versus punishment, is needed. Religion translates into the nurturing of the
student’s spiritual dimension, by encouraging the student’s development of a relationship with
God and the expression of that relationship through service to society. Kindness translates
into a loving presence and an availability of the educator for students with an aim to
encourage, counsel, and assist in personal growth and maturity. Ultimately, Mr. Gonzales is
certain that the wonderful influences from his previous Salesian educators helped to inspire,
mold, and shape his educational philosophy. He strongly believes that teaching is a blessing
in his life and is forever grateful for the daily opportunities teaching brings to put into action
his Catholic faith by doing work in the world that truly matters.
Mr. Gonzales’ favorite St. John Bosco quotes:
“The children cannot only be told they are loved, they must know that they are loved.“
“Without confidence and love, there can be no true education.”
“Do not put off till tomorrow the good you can do today. You may not have a tomorrow.”
"Love each other as brothers. Do good to all and evil to none... Tell my boys that I wait for
them all in Paradise.” (SJB’s dying words)
“The children cannot only be told they are loved, they must know that they are loved.“
“Without confidence and love, there can be no true education.”
“Do not put off till tomorrow the good you can do today. You may not have a tomorrow.”
"Love each other as brothers. Do good to all and evil to none... Tell my boys that I wait for
them all in Paradise.” (SJB’s dying words)
