Math IS Cool by Shelby

Math IS Cool by Shelby - July 2014 Scholarship Essay

The universally known sigh of despair resonates in the classroom of our first day of math. Unbeknownst to us all, we were in the presence of not only the best math teacher, but the best overall educator in this school.

Although everything seemed like the typical routine of the first day of class-finding our friends to sit by and getting our syllabus- it was not until the slideshow that I knew this teacher was going to be special. This presentation of his, highlighted why he became a teacher. It was not simply to spread the importance and love of math, but rather the knowledge and applicability of math. His reason for pursuing education was his love of learning. Expanding knowledge was his highest priority and nothing brought him greater joy than seeing his students grow mentally. He was not teaching just to help kids get their diploma, he was teaching to help us in our future lives. No matter the lesson he could correlate it to a life situation. We were not there to memorize the Pythagorean Theorem and know when to apply it, but rather to recognize the creativity of this theorem and understand that not all problems are solved simply.

This teacher elucidated that education was far more than memorizing information. Education is about obtaining knowledge that can seem irrelevant, and transforming it into a valuable life lesson. Education is a crucial component in life because some of the hardest lessons can be learned in the safe environment of school, where second chances are rewarded, rather than the harsh real world where there is only one shot. This teacher helped expand my math repertoire as well as assist in preparing me for life. I see the priceless and precious value of education now, thanks to this teacher.