Many people move around throughout their lives before finding a place to settle down. Ms. Moon, one of the new math teachers at Cardozo, is one of these people. Ms. Moon, a 1.5th generation Korean-American, has lived in Seoul, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Denver. But, now, she has finally found her place in New York City.
Before coming to Cardozo and joining our math department, Ms. Moon experienced many different settings and many different grades. She said she has ““taught all grades – elementary, middle and high schools, in both public and private settings,” but, “felt most connected with high school students.”
With multiple job opportunities, Ms. Moon chose Cardozo for its strong sense of community. “I taught at Pace High School in Manhattan before coming to Cardozo,” she explained. “After giving birth to my baby angel in 2018, I took an extended parental leave and when I decided to come back to NYCPS, I wanted to transfer to a high school in Queens so that I could cut down my commute and spend more time with my little one.”
“I chose Cardozo as much as Cardozo chose me, because I felt trust and support from students, teachers and staff and administration,” Ms. Moon added.
Although Ms. Moon originally wanted to be a social worker, she found her passion supporting children and young adults through education. “Ever since I was young, I’ve wanted to dedicate my life to serving people and I almost became a social worker, but I realized I feel more passionate about supporting children and young adults through education so I decided to become a teacher,” she explained.
Ms. Moon faced many struggles, especially when she immigrated. “In addition to the language barrier I had as an English learner (EL), when I immigrated, I had ADHD, so it was super difficult for me to process information and learn.”
“I failed every subject in 7th grade as a result,” she explained. “However, I never gave up and I ended up getting a perfect PSAT Math score and 4.2 GPA in my senior year. Because of my personal journey, I empathize with students who struggle academically and challenge them appropriately and I think that’s what makes me stand out as a teacher.”
Her background and personal struggles make it easy for students to relate and identify with her as an educator. During classes, Ms. Moon enjoys working with students, as well as her co-teacher, Ms. Mitts. The two work hard to make class a positive experience for all of their students.
While her ultimate goal for the school year is for all her students to fall in love with math, she said, “If I have to make the goal more realistic, my goal for this school year is for all of my students to feel welcomed in the classroom.” Ms. Moon’s enthusiasm for math inspires her students “to feel confident in math and to pass the Algebra 1 Regents Exam in June.”
Outside of math and her subject, she also wants to support students through their high school experience, as well. “I’m here not only to teach math but also to guide you through the transition process from adolescence to adulthood,” Ms. Moon said. “I feel incredibly blessed and responsible to support you through this journey. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need or want to share anything. I’m here for you!”
