This High School Teacher Tries to Make Her Students Laugh as Often as Possible

Ahead of the 2024 school year, PS's The Educators is spotlighting 24 public school teachers around the country who are making a difference.

Kyle Ryan is a geography teacher at a public high school in central Texas, specializing in world geography and AP Human Geography. She has five years of teaching experience and two years of working in curriculum and instructional coaching. She's also known as Ms. Ryan on TikTok, where she's on a mission to make history fun. Keep reading to get to know her.

What inspired you to be a teacher?
I became a teacher as a way to share my love and passion for social studies and US history, but I've grown to learn that I can do that and so much more in this job. I get to serve my community, build lifelong academic and life skills for the next generation, and arm students with valuable critical thinking skills that help them change their world and their place in it.

What's the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of teaching is building connections with students from all walks of life. I love helping students build confidence, ensuring they feel validated in their spaces, and making them laugh as often as possible.

Who was your favorite teacher and why?
My favorite teacher was my ninth-grade world geography teacher, Mr. Cambell, who helped me realize that teachers are actual human beings. He was the coolest guy ever, helped teach us about the countless different cultures around the world, and treated us like actual human beings too.

What's your go-to teaching uniform?
Black mock turtleneck and wide-leg pants! So comfortable, but always looks so professional and cute.

What do you always make time for because it makes you feel good?
I have been working incredibly hard to protect time for me to do nothing. I've always felt "guilty" for doing nothing because "maybe I should be working right now," but then I realized that I was contributing to my own burnout and I have the right to be "lazy" and take breaks from the constant need to work and be productive.

What's your morning routine on a school day?
Wake up, drink coffee, and do nothing for 30 minutes to mentally prepare for the day. Do my makeup and get dressed, then skedaddle to school. I live about 30 minutes away from my school, so I do a lot of thinking and mentally preparing on the way to school, and I'll listen to a good podcast.

How do you practice self-care?
I love doing skin care, hanging out with my friends, and watching live music, and protecting space to do nothing if I want to.

What are you watching?
"Love Island USA."

What are you reading?
The "Throne of Glass" series.

What's your fitness routine?
Teaching! But really, I've been trying to do more Peloton workouts and get that heart rate up.

How do you keep from getting sick during the school year?
Hope for the best, honestly. I get my vaccines, use hand sanitizer, and sanitize my classroom when I can, and cross my fingers that no one sneezes in my face.

What's your go-to feel-good music?
Hip-hop and EDM.