Kyle Nam

Entering his 12th year of teaching, Kyle Nam joined the math department this year from Fairfax High School. He teaches AP Calculus AB and Algebra 2 HN.
What drew you to this school and why did you want to teach here?
I’ve always heard good things about the Chantilly community, and frankly, it’s close to my home, so that’s why I decided to transfer from Fairfax.
Why did you want to teach math?
I majored in engineering at Virginia Tech. After I graduated, I had an opportunity to tutor at a SAT prep program and that’s where I found my passion for teaching so I changed my career to be a teacher. I was able to connect with George Mason University to get my initial license, and finally got my master’s there. Being able to impact future generations is just rewarding.
If you could have another career, what would you do, or is teaching your dream career?
When I was in high school and college, I never thought about teaching, but now, I like what I am doing. Sometimes I think about what I would be doing if I pursued becoming an actual engineer; if I did, I would be in the industry for 10 years now.
What do you like to do outside of school and teaching?
As of now, I have two kids so I spend the most time with my family. They are my first priority. I like sports; I used to play adult league soccer, coached volleyball at Oakton and regularly go out to golf with my family members. Those are the things I want to do, but right now, my kids come first.
Coming to CHS this year, what do you notice about the school?
The staff members are very friendly, and even though I was at Oakton and Fairfax before, I knew the system, but I’m new to this place, so I had to get to know the different rooms and stuff. The staff were very supportive and helpful. That’s one thing I really like. The students are very motivated here; I see you guys are very eager to learn new stuff.