My
name is William F. Gruenholz II, but my nickname is Bill. My students
sometimes call me “Mr. G”. My father’s grandfather
came here from Germany about 1870, however ancestors on both sides
of the family came from Scotland, France, England and other countries
in Europe.
I was born in Indiana and moved to California when I was only three
years old. I grew up in southern California (Whittier and San Diego).
Later, I moved to the Bay area where I met Donna, my wife. We got
married in 1974 and now have three children: two boys and one girl.
Our children are all grown up now. In fact, our oldest son is married,
and they will soon have their first baby.
I graduated from Whittier High School and Whittier College where I
also received a California teaching credential. Immediately after
finishing college, I went into the U. S. Air Force where I was trained
to teach English as a foreign language (EFL).
I
taught EFL in Vietnam for one year. After serving in the military,
I worked in a variety of jobs, including teaching for three years
in a school where children (5th – 12th grades) could learn at
their own pace. In two jobs, I used writing and computer skills. I
began teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) at Loma Vista and
Pittsburg Adult in 2004.
My hobbies include getting regular exercise in a class at DVC, by
walking or bicycling in nice places in this area, and visiting beautiful
and interesting places. I enjoy singing in a choir, but don’t
have much opportunity these days. Maybe I will be able to enjoy that
again someday.
I teach ESL because I enjoy really helping people learn what they
think is important. It’s great to meet people from all over
the world and learn from them about their countries, cultures, and
lives. It’s fantastic when a class becomes a real community
of English learners.
