Adam Miller, known as Mr. Miller, is the Saugus High School AP World History teacher. He started his teaching career at UCLA for his undergraduate, graduate, and teaching credential for U.S. History, and did student teaching at Palisades High School. He has been teaching for 33 years and will continue to teach for the love of the job.
AP World History is a college-level introductory course which helps students develop a greater understanding of global interactions from circa 1200CE to the present. Students analyze historical sources to make connections and historical arguments on concepts including social contacts, political systems, economic systems, environmental interactions, and technology developments and continuities.
About His Career:
Q: What inspired you to become a teacher?
A: “I realized I love history so I thought teaching would be a great career.”
Q: What has been the most rewarding part of being in this career?
A: “Watching students grow up and become successful in all areas of life, and reaching back and telling me that I helped them succeed in college.”
Q: What made you decide to teach history?
A: “That was my best subject. I couldn’t think of another subject I could’ve taught relating to the history field, [history] was my passion.”
Challenges and Growth:
Q: What challenges have you faced when keeping students engaged?
A: “I talk a lot, and teach a lot in lecture format so because I have a lot of material to cover I don’t want to bore them and sound vanilla.”
Q: What personal obstacles have you faced during your career?
A: “Early classroom management, engaging students with different types of assessments, Covid-19, and the Saugus shooting were all obstacles.”
Q: What aspects in your class would you improve for students next year?
A: “I always try to improve every aspect. Whether it’s writing assignments, engaging students, or having them take a larger role in the class through inquiries and primary sources.”
Personal Questions:
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: “I like to play music, go to national parks, and visit my kids in different cities.”
Q: What is your favorite movie, book, or song?
A: “I love The Prince by Machiavelli, various songs–mostly jazz. I like ‘Seven Steps to Heaven’ because there are seven steps to a rubric. A great movie for fun is anything Disney-related that fits my class, like, The Emperor’s New Groove. But, Ratatouille is classic.”
Q: What would your dream career be besides teaching?
A: “Jazz musician. Or, stand-up comedian, but I get to do that in my class.”
Final Thoughts:
Q: Advice to future students interested in taking AP World?
A: “Read. Get off social media and read, and you will be fine. Because, the more you read, the better you improve your vocabulary. And writing, writing is really important–especially using a pencil or pen to write your own thoughts.”
Q: What do you hope students take away from your class?
A: “Being a good person, being a good citizen, and learning–no matter what the topic is.”
