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Daniel Jocz, a social studies teacher at LA Unified’s Downtown Magnets High School, is among four finalists for the National Teacher of the Year award.

Jocz was one of five winners of the California Teacher of the Year award in October and was nominated for the national competition by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the United States.

“Daniel is a dedicated, passionate, and innovative educator who incorporates popular culture and music in the teaching of history and social studies in a way that engages his students and makes the subjects more accessible while still being rigorous,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson in a press release. “I am so pleased that Daniel is a finalist for this award. He is clearly one of the best teachers in the country.”

Jocz has been a social studies teacher for 11 years, all at his present school, where he is a department chair, instructional leadership team member and associated student body advisor. Jocz is noted for creatively integrating his YouTube page, JoczProductions, into his lessons.

“As a teacher you have the opportunity to prepare students for jobs that haven’t even been created yet, awaken passions students never knew they had, and to inspire them to travel to places they never dreamt they would see,” Jocz said in a statement.

Click here to learn more about Jocz by reading an essay he submitted to CCSSO about his teaching career.