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Carla Cariño (MA '99), who teaches civics and ethnic studies at Denver’s North High School, got hooked on teaching because of the things she didn’t learn while she was in school — episodes such as the Wounded Knee Massacre and the incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II. In the Chalkbeat series, How I Teach, educators like Cariño explain how they approach their jobs. 

Cariño is one of 20 educators selected for the state’s new Commissioners Teacher Cabinet. The group will provide input to officials at the Colorado Department of Education on the impact of education policies in the classroom.

In this , Cariño explains how understanding history is a path to changing the world. She talks about how her students change the world through civic action projects, why she loves meeting students’ parents and what celebrity coined her favorite piece of advice. She explores the favorite aspects of her work and how she connects with students, parents, and the community.

"I am inspired by the solutions that young people have to issues in our communities," she said. "Policy makers should really talk to teenagers more to gain perspective and ideas on solutions to the issues of our time."

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