Written By: Miles Watts, Staff Writer
BEGINNINGS: Teaching Math 1, Mr. Byrne is ready to start the year and his teaching career off strong.
Down at the end of the portables in Portable 51 is the classroom of the new teacher, Mr. Byrne. The walls of the classroom are a little bare, but that is not to say his class environment is without charm. A young teacher fresh out of college, Mr. Byrne is ready to teach and help his students grow.
When Mr. Byrne enrolled in college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, he did not know what he wanted to pursue as a career. He started off as an economics major but he found that he did not enjoy his classes. Thus, he changed his major to mathematics with an education focus next quarter. He had found a love for math when he went to Poly through a teacher named Mr. Orovitz. Mr. Byrne had him for three years and had discovered a passion for the subject, discovering it through his teacher’s own interest in the field. When he was a child, Mr. Byrne was a boy scout and he enjoyed helping the younger scouts on a myriad of skills such as tying knots and using first aid kits. “I have always enjoyed helping people learn things” Mr. Byrne comments. This joy he finds in assisting others along with an interest in math is what led him to choosing to switch majors to mathematics at Cal Poly SLO.
As a new teacher, Mr. Byrne has some principles he abides by in teaching while also being open to advice from other teachers. He feels that a warm-up activity is important as it engages students and gets the kids focused on math. Giving them time to do their daily homework in class is also something he prioritizes. According to his mantra, homework is more of a daily practice to maintain a skill and he wants to encourage his students to complete the work so they can maintain mastery of ideas. He puts an emphasis on group work as he feels it is vital for students to “discover” the functions of mathematics. Additionally, he is focused on what he can do to improve his class, since he is still in the process of finding a teaching style to call his own. “Everyday, I’m thinking about what I can do to improve myself as a teacher,” he comments. As he is only teaching Math 1, he has all freshmen who are still adjusting to high school life. Along with math, he also aims to teach them organizational skills and a proper mentality to be successful in school and beyond. “Something that I am working on is to get to know my students as much as possible,” Mr. Byrne explains. There is no denying that Mr. Byrne cares deeply for his students and wants only the best for them.
Unlike most teachers, Mr. Byrne enjoys teaching Math 1 because he feels honored to help the freshman transition into the incipient stages of the next four years of life. “I have a chance to help students transition into a very important period of their lives,” Mr. Byrne expresses. It is evident that he cares for his students and has a genuine passion for mathematics. And throughout the year, he looks forward to getting to know his students better and altering his teaching to their learning style. Poly welcomes you, Mr. Byrne, and we wish you a great first year of teaching!