Teacher Spotlight: Mr. Salmon

Of the many AP courses that PHS offers, AP Psychology has to be among the most fun -, not just because of its interesting topics, but also due to our great Psych teacher, Mr. Salmon. Mr. Salmon has been teaching at PHS for 18 years, spending his first 10 years at PHS teaching history, government, and economics. Mr. Salmon was then asked if would want to teach psychology, which, as we all know, he humbly accepted. “And that was the smartest thing I ever did,” he said.

Mr. Salmon told us of his dreams before he ever thought of becoming a teacher. “I wanted to be a trashman when I was 2, 3, 4… I used to watch them every morning,” he told me. Then, he would think of being a veterinarian. From that point, Mr. Salmon would graduate from college with a degree in history and a credential in social science, working at an insurance company. “I hated that after a while,” he stated. He would then become a substitute teacher, eventually getting his current job here at PHS.

When entering Mr. Salmon’s classroom for the first time, you truly get a real sense of his own personality. His classroom contains a framed picture of Walter White and has a previous student's shoe stuck to a board as memorable. Mr. Salmon’s classes are often fun and engaging, due largely in part to his bright and colorful personality. I asked Mr. Salmon what his favorite part about being a teacher is, and he responded, “I get a lot of social interaction with lots of people every day. So many different people; so many different personalities.” He ended on the note that “I’m not stuck in a cubical all day.”

Outside of being a teacher, Mr. Salmon enjoys camping and fishing during the summer, traveling the United States, and working around his yard. He is also a Dodgers fan! (Go Dodgers!)

Mr. Salmon has been working here for 18 years, and his favorite part about working here is the great diversity of the student body. PHS is one of the most diverse schools you can be. “It’s one of the most diverse places you can be - all different races, ethnicities, income levels, geniuses, idiots, … it’s a snapshot of society,” he told me.

Mr. Salmon will continue to be the school’s favorite Psychology teacher, able to bring a little bit of fun and joy from his classes to the students of PHS.