Carlos Morales

• Position: Honors and AP chemistry teacher
• Degrees & Alma Mater: Bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of Houston
• School Activities: UIL Science and Science Bowl
• Years at Caney Creek: 5
• Years Teaching: 9

How would other people describe your high-school self?

Funny, carefree, and a band kid.

Was there a career you wanted to pursue OR pursued before teaching?

I’d say chemical engineering was my first, but it wasn’t for me when I got into the college program, so I switched it to just chemistry.

Tell us about how you got into teaching.

I took an intro to a teaching class in college. After that we got to teach elementary school kids, where I had to prepare my own lessons. Then I had the chance to teach at middle school and highschool,  and ever since then teaching has been my only thing.

What do you do outside of school for fun? Why?

I play video games, hang out with my family a lot, do parties and stuff like that. I also go hiking alot.

When people get to know you, what are they most surprised to learn about you?

How much I’m into science and politics.

What is your hidden talent?

I can play Bugler’s Holiday on the trumpet, I played trumpet the whole of high school but I haven’t played since then, but I could probably still play it now.

What is something you know a weird amount about that isn’t related to something you teach?

I know a weird amount of Halo. I play the Halo video games like crazy, and I don’t just play, I read the books, I watch the shows, I have all these statues and figurines of Halo everywhere. I’m also a giant Cowboys fan.

Tell us the story about what you are most proud of yourself for.

Im most proud of having a daughter.

Have you seen any changes in how you run your life either in or out of school since your daughter was born?

Ever since I had a child my whole life has shifted into only thinking about how to make my daughter’s life better. Before I had my daughter when I was in my 20s and 30s it was just me and my wife, and then it wasn’t. It wasn’t like that before, I was just trying to figure out life before but now that I have her, it’s all I want to focus on.

Who is someone you are thankful for and why?

My old high school chemistry teacher. She was a great teacher to me and we are still friends now. She’s always been very accepting and just wants to be the greatest teacher ever, and help as many students as possible. I think that’s always been my passion and I got it from her. 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Pursue your passion. At a younger age it was hard for me to switch my career to teaching. My mom pushed chemical engineering really hard because she was an academic. She was valedictorian of her high school, but for me I always knew I had a passion somewhere else. If I had started with what I wanted I would have been much happier at a younger age while pursuing a passion of mine and not a career. 

What do you hope to be remembered for?

Remembered as being a great husband, being a great dad, and teaching some kids.

What’s on your bucket list? What aspirations do you have for the future?

I want to visit New Zealand. For aspirations I want to continue my career to get better each year. I want to be a teacher that always learns and changes with the times. The world is always changing and adapting.

What changes have you noticed since you’ve started?

The kids are definitely different. Technology, phones, the social aspect. What’s popular has shifted the culture of kids, and if a teacher doest change with them, I feel like it’s much harder to engage with the students. My passion is to get students engaged in the content, and the only way to do that is to meet them in their platform and interests. 

Favorites

• Food: Bacon Cheeseburger
• Restaurant: Whataburger
• Music: Drake
• TV Show:”The Office”
• Movie: “Interstellar”
• Book:  “Ready Player One” by Ernist Cline
• Teacher: Mr. Giles and former chemistry teacher.