Calculus Explained
Pi and Charlie Brown Day
Mr. Smith of Coolidge Middle School in Reading, Massachusetts is a teacher
who is consistently able to form wonderful connections with all students and who is able to make his students enthusiastic about the subject matter every day. His classroom exudes a positive learning environment for all, and his annual “Charlie Brown Day” to demonstrate the concept of pi is just one example.
He can often be seen with some crazy hat on his head, or he can often be heard cheering his students on by asking, “What’s the most important subject?!” To which the class enthusiastically responds in unison, “Math!” Mr. Smith chooses to focus on students’ strengths, communicates with parents regularly, and gives the extra time necessary to any student who needs it.
Former Student Involvement
A former student of Mr. Smith’s, who is now in college and studying to be a teacher, explains the tremendous impact Mr. Smith has had on her education. She writes, “Over the years, Mr. Smith has helped me overcome Math difficulties. He has tutored me with math for several years. Growing up with learning disabilities, Math had never been my strong point. I found myself not understanding Math problems and what they were asking me. Mr. Smith understood that I was having difficulty in Math and would believe that I could do it. He would find other ways to teach me until he knew I grasped the concept. I verbally could explain the Math problem to him, but when it came to test, I would grow anxious and seem to forget the material that I had mastered. Mr. Smith would let me re-take tests a second time after he met with me to make sure that I understood…I hope to help my students with learning disabilities in the same way.”
Former Student Teacher Involvement
A former student teacher of Mr. Smith’s, who is now a Coolidge colleague, says that as a mentor, Mr. Smith taught her two simple keys to success in teaching: 1) Show the kids, each and every one, that you care about them…and 2) have fun! She explains, “Mr. Smith demonstrates his commitment to kids in so many ways. One is his refusal to give up on anyone, whether that means working with a struggling kid at all hours of the day, week in, week out, even working through the summer. Another by allowing every student as many tries as it takes to get something right. And yet another by going to many of the kids' special events, dances, or field trips, year after year, just because the kids want him to. He has a knack of being able to tactfully talk to students and parents about difficult situations, with a complete understanding of their perspective and with a sincere, caring approach. He’s just an inspiration to all of us. Even after 30 years in this profession, he says that he loves to come to school every day and makes sure not to take himself too seriously…and to take every opportunity to have fun.”
Passion and Excitement
As a colleague, Mr. Smith is always willing to partner in any endeavor, and he will go to any length to do what's best for kids. He wears his passion and excitement for learning on his sleeve. On any given day, you might hear him bounding down the hall, so excited about a new idea or discovery that he is blasting it out, even before he arrives at his destination or knows if anyone is around to hear it. With his humor, energy, and love for his students, Mr. Smith makes learning fun. And he helps make Coolidge Middle School a wonderful place each and every day…for both students and staff.
