Lessons from El Maestro
Jaime Escalante died today. The calculus teacher made famous in “Stand and Deliver” was 79 and leaves behind a legacy and an example all teachers should follow. He believed all kids could learn. He believed in bulldozing the stereotypes that kept inner-city students from the opportunities available to their affluent counterparts. He believed in challenging his students to try harder, aim higher and achieve more than they thought they could. More than the outside world thought they could.
This description from an L.A.Times story by my friend Esmeralda Bermudez perfectly describes the poetry and passion Escalante brought to the classroom:
“There was a time in East Los Angeles when el maestro’s gruff voice bounced off his classroom walls. He roamed the aisles, he juggled oranges, he dressed in costumes, he punched the air; he called you names, he called your mom, he kicked you out, he lured you in; he danced, he boxed, he screamed, he whispered. He would do anything to get your attention.
‘Ganas,” he would say. “That’s all you need. The desire to learn.’ ”
I’ve thought about Escalante a lot since I began my journey to becoming a teacher. I think about the challenge facing all of us in classrooms, the challenge to reach kids who seem unreachable, the challenge to teach kids some people think are unteachable. The easy part is remembering that vision on days when the classroom buzzes with positive energy, when students are jostling to answer questions and the planned lesson chugs along with finely tuned precision.
It’s much harder to remember that on days when classes disintegrate into disorder, when carefully calculated lessons stall out of the gate, when frustration threatens to overpower patience. On those days, I remind myself that my students are there to learn and I am there to teach. I remind myself that my journey as a teacher is just starting.
From now on, I’ll also remind myself of Jaime Escalante and remember his words: “Believe, believe. Believe in your kids. They will surprise you.”
2 Replies to “Lessons from El Maestro”
Your writing opens up new worlds for me. Not only do you offer a beautiful tribute to a mighty man, but you also reveal your own challenges as a new teacher trying to reach today’s students. You will ultimately succeed, and in years hence — many, I hope, other journalists will write heartfelt tributes to you.
Thank you. After so many years of taking pains not to let my own opinions and feelings seep into my work, it is still feels odd to be writing about myself. But it’s all part of the journey.