Mr. Rocha-Herrera graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics. He held an international scholarship during all four years for outstanding scholastic achievement. Early in his career, he was a physics lab instructor and a calculus tutor at Arizona State University. During his initial years after college, he worked in engineering research co-developing new technologies with other scientists and implementing various technologies at high volume manufacturing sites. He and his team authored and/or co-authored numerous technical papers using applied science and mathematical modeling. As a teacher, he has completed numerous development courses for educators, with an emphasis in math and science teaching methods, and additional focus on how to apply differentiated instruction for various styles of student learning. His teaching experience spans over 15 years. Since 2017, he has been teaching math or physics at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley. Mr. Rocha-Herrera’s teaching philosophy focuses primarily on guiding students’ thinking so that they are able to recognize math and physics principles everywhere in daily life. He prefers to develop concept understanding with hands-on activities and examples to encourage scientific curiosity and discovery while having fun.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌‍‍‌​​‌​​‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

About this upcoming year, he says, “I feel very fortunate to be able to share my passion for teaching at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley. There is nothing more rewarding than teaching students who love learning.” Mr. Rocha-Herrera is thrilled that his own five children share this passion for learning. They all graduated from prestigious universities, including Harvard University, Columbia University, and the University of Pennsylvania. His hobbies outside of school include chess, hiking, Latin music, and comedy.