Nathan Matza, MA
Nathan Matza has been an educator for more than forty-seven years, teaching as a full-time high school teacher, a health science teacher and professor, and currently, a lecturer in the Department of Health Science at California State University, Long Beach.
Nathan Matza has been recognized as an expert in health education teaching and served a six-year assignment as a district-level Mentor Teacher for health teachers and continues to advise college graduate students on careers in teaching. Matza was selected as a Teacher of the year and a finalist for the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Matza has been a teacher for over 47 years and; at age 17 he earned the Eagle Scout Medal, Boy Scouts of America.
He holds a Bachelor of Science (Zoology) and Master of Arts Degree (Educational Administration), (California State University, Long Beach, and postgraduate research for a Doctorate of Public Health, (DrPH), (Loma Linda University, Health Education and International Health). He also holds credentials as a Nationally Certified Health Education Specialist, and life credentials, in secondary teaching (Health Science & Biological science), Standard Supervision (administrative), and Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) from the state of California. He also holds a certificate in computer technology from Boise State University.
Matza taught: human physiology, biology, field biology, life sciences, integrated science, health science, computer skills, and health science for English Language Learners (ELL) students. His major focus on teaching has been health science education since 1977. As a CSULB lecturer, he taught: HSc 411b, Health Science for Teachers, HSc 425 Human Sexuality & Sex Education, and EDSS 300, 450, credential classes and methods for teaching health education for health majors. He also taught HSc 210, Introduction to Health Science, and supervises student teachers as a university supervisor (EDSS 472) at middle schools and high schools in LA and Orange County schools.
Matza was a contributing author of The Health Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve. He has also written: A Curriculum Guide for Health Education Contemporary Health Education, contributing author of Project Teach Health Pre-service Resource Manual for University Instructors of Health Education, Tobacco Use Prevention, in, The Comprehensive School Health Challenge, Cortese, Middelton, eds., and two college textbooks for secondary educators, Health Science for Teachers and Creative Health Science Lessons. Matza also served as a contributing author to the Los Angeles Times. He has been a member of the executive board of the California Association of School Health Educators (CASHE) since 1980, and has published articles in The California Association of Health, Physical, Education, Recreation and Dance Journal (CAHPERD) and the CASHE Newsletter. Additionally, Matza: Delivered numerous workshops at the California Health Framework Conferences and serves as an advocate for health education by addressing school boards at the local, county and state levels.
Matza also volunteers for the California Department of Education, National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Orange County Department of Education, California School Nurses Association, The Center (LGBTQ), Long Beach, and Cal State Fullerton Poverty Simulation annual event.
