Carlos Viera credits his mom as one of his main inspirations for wanting to help others.
The son of a caretaker, Viera learned from an early age the importance of giving back which eventually led him down the path of education.
“I find that I have a really similar desire to help people and so just being able to help kids learn and prepare for life after high school is my favorite part of teaching,” Viera said.
Originally from New Mexico, Viera attended the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology where he received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. While he was finishing up his master’s degree, he enrolled in the school’s alternative licensure program. Viera explained the alternative licenses are similar to the teaching credential programs in California.
“When I was doing my master’s program, I was a TA for general chemistry, so I supported the lab classes and I also did study sessions for the students,” Viera said. “That basically kicked off my desire to just help kids and I thought why not go into teaching?
“I also got a lot of advice from my wife’s family who are a bunch of educators and shared their experiences and love for teaching. They talked about the impacts they’ve made and just hearing their stories about how they’ve helped the kids and with my own experience, that kind of collectively inspired me to go into teaching.”
After receiving his alternative license, Viera taught at the School of Dreams Academy, a charter school in Los Lunas, New Mexico for one semester.
In July 2021, Viera’s wife was offered a job at UC Davis, bringing them to the Yolo County area. Viera was hired to teach at Woodland Joint Unified School District’s FLEX Academy, where he teaches all subjects to grades seven through 12.
FLEX, WJUSD’s virtual program, was created to accommodate the growing demand for online learning opportunities for K-12 students.
“I think this model suits me because I get to work one-on-one with my students, making it much easier to develop a relationship with them,” Viera explained.
The program offers a unique educational experience, combining current educational technology and support from a committed staff to create a successful virtual learning environment. Part of the school district’s independent study options, students have a more flexible schedule and check in with their teachers for support.
“I think having a program like this is very valuable because we do get students who aren’t necessarily successful in an in-person format,” Viera stressed. “Some kids have anxiety or health issues that would make it uncomfortable to be in-person so it just makes more sense to get an education from home.
“We also have high achievers who want to work at their own pace, so a program like this is wonderful for them. I could go on and on about the benefits of having a flexible schedule and just being able to have an education that’s tailored to what the students need.”
Undoubtedly a more untraditional learning environment, Viera said the program is successful due to the collaboration and support he receives from the other staff members. Viera explained that teaching to a virtual audience does come with its challenges like serving all the different age groups and ensuring that students are engaged and still receiving the support they need.
“We’re not there right over their shoulder to tell them, ‘Hey, you’re on the right track or you’re not on the right track,’” Viera said. “So to support them, we really have to teach them to communicate effectively with us and to not be scared to ask for help.”
According to Cache Creek High School Principal Will Jarrell, Viera is just the man for this job where communication is key.
The FLEX Academy is heavily supported by staff at Cache Creek High School. According to Viera they are “serving the students of Cache Creek and supporting the FLEX Academy program” and are doing “double the work.” Viera said he “gives a lot of kudos” to the staff at Cache Creek for helping to make the FLEX program successful.
Jarrell described Viera as a “genuine and thoughtful person that puts everyone at ease around him.”
“Carlos goes the extra distance to support students. He consistently meets with them individually and makes himself available across the week,” Jarrell praised. “He proactively and consistently communicates with families and he has clear expectations. He also provides excellent guidance on how students can measure their own progress. Carlos has always been a ‘go-to’ teacher, willing to take on tough assignments without missing a beat.”
Outside of the classroom, Viera enjoys spending time outside gardening, going downtown and playing Pokémon Go with his wife, lifting and taking his Australian Shepherd, Loki, for walks.
Viera said the most important thing for him as an educator is seeing the growth in his students.
“You don’t get to be a master at something right away because that comes with years and years of study,” Viera said. “For me, mastery, which is a big buzzword in education, is not really something that is achievable right away in high school, so I look for growth.
“I want them to take away that it’s OK to mess up and it’s OK to make mistakes and learn from them. I just want them to be confident in showing who they are and displaying their individuality in the work they do.”
