Psst! Breaking news at NANMO! There is a new face at our school – a man full of energy and humor who brings laughter and California sunshine everywhere he walks! Well, let’s welcome Mr. Culver! He’s a new teacher in the Humanities office and teaches Composition 11 and Entrepreneurship and Marketing 10. We are hoping that his arrival will bring joy to our campus and that he will love his new “home”!

Being different from the other BC teachers at NANMO, Mr. Culver actually comes from the U.S.A; California is the place where he has lived for over a decade, but Texas is where he was raised. When asked to describe his city, Mr. Culver responded with “full of sunshine”, “fresh air near the ocean”, “nice climate” to help us picture his beautiful hometown. Being new to Shanghai, Mr. Culver has already gotten used to living here and thinks the subway system is one of the most amazing things in Shanghai because it saves people time and is very convenient.

In fact, Shanghai is not the first Chinese city Mr. Culver has lived in. Before coming to NANMO, he taught in Changchun (Jilin Province) and Nansha (Guangdong Province, which is well-known for its local dishes and delicate breakfast). While being a humanity teacher, Mr. Culver has a strong passion for music. Being a musician was once his “wildest” dream. He loves playing the guitar, which is his favourite hobby. He was also a member of a brass-instrument-based school band once when he was a student. When asked about his favorite rock n’ roll band, he said that he lived in an era of Chris Cornell and that: “He had a powerful voice, which gave people strength.”

When I asked him about some new experiences to gain at NANMO, Mr. Culver showed his interest in playing tennis as a new sport to try. He said that it is always important to challenge ourselves with new things and to be open-minded. “Trying to be a good father” was one of the most challenging things he had done in his life and now he heads for a PHD in law, economics & philosophy in the near future for his new challenge.

Mr. Culver said that he decided to become a teacher to help students get a better education and to help them transfer their learning to the real world. He wishes to teach them practical skills like critical thinking and being skeptical. Interestingly, he teaches the Entrepreneurship and Marketing 10 students to not capitulate to the authority and to develop their personal inner strength. At the end of the interview, Mr. Culver gave his advice to all NANMO students, which is to “practice English more”, as improving one’s oral speaking skills will help students communicate better and will better prepare them to be actively involved in other countries’ activities. To inspire the students, he said, perseverance is the key to hardship and failure in life; putting yourself back up and keeping going will lead everyone to success.

by Sherry Shao 12C