In his first teaching assignment, as a fifth-grade English teacher, Edgar Manaran had only 20 desks for 48 students. Yet he was able to apply productive classroom strategies throughout his 25-hour teaching week. Some of his students sat on plastic chairs due to the shortage of desks, but that did not change the dynamic of Mr. Manaran's classes. He realized that the constant changing of seating arrangements increased the chance for students to interact with one another. This article profiles the two teaching contexts in which Edgar Manaran has taught English by using creativity, dedication, and perseverance to overcome unique challenges and meet the needs of his students.