Mrs. Priya Tractenberg - MHS

When I sat down with Mrs. Trachtenberg for my SPotlight project, I expected to talk about lesson plans and teaching styles. Instead, I heard a story about purpose, change, and the unexpected ways a single moment can redefine someone’s entire life.

She started by telling me that she hadn’t always planned on becoming a teacher. After college, she earned a business degree, only to realize that the path she’d chosen made her unhappy. “I was stuck after college,” she said. “So many kids are. I started subbing just to make some money, and that’s when everything changed.” While working as a substitute teacher in the Pomona Unified School District, she found herself in classrooms that were struggling, schools with low test scores, limited resources, and students just trying to get by. One day, she helped a fourth grader who had been having a hard time finally understand a lesson. “He said, ‘Thank you for helping me. I get it now,’ and I thought, that’s what I want to do.” That one small moment of connection was enough to change her direction completely. She realized that her happiness wasn’t going to come from business or money, but from making a difference in the lives of kids who needed it most.

Her first full-time teaching job was in Pomona, one of the lowest-performing districts in the state at the time. “I had kids who couldn’t read in fourth grade,” she recalled. “It was tough, but it taught me so much about empathy and patience.” Those early years, she explained, were when she learned how important classroom management and connection were. “You can’t teach if the class is all over the place,” she laughed. Even after 25 years in education, she admitted that the first day of school still makes her nervous. “You wonder if you’ll connect with your students, if you’ll manage the class, if they’ll respond to you. Even now, I still get butterflies.”

As we talked about how her teaching style has evolved, she reflected on how much has changed since she started. “In the beginning, I was very old-school,” she said. “I had behavior cards and focused on consequences. But over time, I realized that it’s not about control—it’s about connection. Every kid is a good kid. They just need someone to understand them.” She now focuses on positive reinforcement, hands-on learning, and flexibility. “If something’s not working, I change it. I talk less and let them explore more. The best learning happens when kids discover things on their own.”

She spoke about how her district’s training at UCLA in Cognitively Guided Instruction transformed her approach to teaching math and problem-solving. “It’s about how students think, not just the right answer,” she said. “I learned to listen more, to let students explain their reasoning, and to value all the different ways they reach understanding.” That philosophy carries over to her writing lessons too, she encourages students to focus on ideas rather than perfect spelling or grammar. “Editing can come later,” she smiled. “What matters is getting their thoughts out. Their voices matter more than perfection.”

But being a teacher, she reminded me, is never just about academics. “It’s not just teaching, you’re also a counselor, a motivator, sometimes even a psychologist,” she said. “There are days when it’s emotionally exhausting because you care so much, but you can’t fix everything.” She described students who struggled with attendance or home life and how hard it was to accept that some things were beyond her control. “That was my hardest lesson, to understand that I can’t solve every problem. I just do my best and let go of what I can’t change.”

Still, there are moments of joy that make it all worth it. Her eyes lit up when she talked about classroom traditions, like celebrating holidays from around the world—Diwali, Hanukkah, and others, to represent the cultures of her students and beyond. “Even if I don’t have any Indian students, I still do Diwali,” she said. “We make diyas out of clay and light fake candles. It’s about inclusion, making every child feel seen.” She also shared her love for the Wax Museum project, a favorite among her students (and one I remember from my own elementary school days). “It’s so much work, but the kids love it. They get to dress up as heroes like Malala or Jane Goodall and share their stories. It’s inspiring to see them take pride in who they choose to become, even for one day.”

Then, she surprised me with a personal story that tied everything together. “I actually moved to the U.S. when I was eight,” she said. “I came from England, where I’d already learned to read and do multiplication, so when I got here, they put me in fourth grade instead of third.” She paused, thoughtful. “But I wasn’t ready. I was shy and still adjusting, and I wish I’d had that extra year.” That experience, she explained, shaped her perspective on education. “That’s why I’m against acceleration. I’d rather a student feel confident and happy where they are than pushed ahead before they’re ready. It’s not just about being smart, it’s about being ready.”

Her teaching “hack,” as she called it, wasn’t about technology or shortcuts. It was about engagement. “I believe in total response, getting everyone involved. Instead of calling on one student, I have the whole class participate by holding up answers or responding together. It helps me see who’s understanding the material, and it makes shy kids feel safe participating.” She smiled when I told her that as a student, I always dreaded being called on in class. “Exactly,” she said. “This way, everyone feels included. The goal is to make learning exciting and safe for everyone.”

By the end of our conversation, I realized that her story perfectly captures what SPotlight is all about, teachers who discover their purpose through connection, who grow and adapt, and who never stop caring. She didn’t plan to be a teacher, but she became one through kindness, curiosity, and courage. Her journey is proof that sometimes, purpose finds us when we least expect it, and when it does, it changes not only our lives, but the lives of every student we inspire along the way.