Elliott Chang: Westridge’s Newest Math Teacher

Elliott Chang joins the Westridge Upper School Math Department as a teacher for some of the 9th and 11th grade, as well as an advisor for a group of juniors. He runs his classes with a relaxed, easy-going environment, at least—in his words—in comparison to his previous positions. “I taught at an all-boys school before and it was kind of wild there. Here the vibe is super different, I think the environment is a lot calmer and my schedule is more relaxing,” said Mr. Chang. 

Originally from Chino Hills, he taught for eight years around the Bay Area, but moved to Arcadia to return to the SoCal area he grew up in. Chang noted that he missed the sunny weather, friends, family, and good food in the area. 

Describing his decision to work at Westridge, he suggested that it was a bit of a spontaneous result, “I was just looking for schools nearby. When Westridge popped up, I was a bit unsure. Especially because I’ve never taught at an “all-girls” school. So I decided to just see how it goes. When I did my interview, everyone was super nice, and it ended up being a good match for me.” 

Chang has taught mathematics for eight years, and specifically chose to continue teaching statistics at Westridge. He laughed a bit and mentioned that teaching freshmen advanced geometry was “not my first choice, but I’ve grown to enjoy it.”

Outside of school, Mr. Chang enjoys shopping, eating out with friends, going to karaoke, and playing basketball. With both of his parents vacationing in his country of heritage, Taiwan, he’s lately been babysitting their two dachshund dogs. “Y’know, I’m in charge of watching over their two sausages. It’s been cool—like I love dogs, but I want one of my own. Maybe a pug? We’ll see.” Chang also mentioned his plan to someday go back to visit Taiwan “once Covid guidelines are less strict,” and he hopes to continue to enjoy teaching at Westridge.