Preparing Young Mathematicians

Mr. David Resendez is one of the new math teachers here at Selma High. Mr. Resendez taught math during distance learning last year at Reedley High. He had shadowed a teacher, and towards the end the first semester, Mr. Resendez became the head teacher of the classroom.

Teaching by himself during distance learning was hard, he said

“but then it got a whole lot easier and I think it’s because I had seniors,” expressed Mr. Resendez. 

Currently at Selma High, Mr. Resendez is teaching Integrated Math 1 and Integrated Math 2.

Mr. Resendez was inspired to teach because he has a religious background. 

“Kind of in my religion, the highest calling is to teach, so if you’re a teacher, you’re at the highest point you can get to,” states Mr. Resendez.  

Mr. Resendez also sees teaching as a way of empowering people in the right direction towards education. He specifically wanted to help his family learn more and eliminate any misconceptions about the American Dream.

When asked what the best part of his job is, Mr. Resendez says that, “Having students become critical thinkers.” He feels that he is teaching his Math 1 students to become critical thinkers, while with his Math 2 students, he is expanding their critical thinking.

Mr. Resendez likes teaching math. 

“Math prepares you to get into, kinda like, a little club that most people aren’t into. Once you’re there, people think you’re super smart, but in reality, it’s not that you’re super smart, it’s just that your brain understands things in a different way, and, even better, you can get other people to understand that same concept,” said Mr. Resendez.

“It’s always best to help out other people if you understand [something].” Mr. Resendez believes that if you have knowledge in a particular subject, it’s best to share that knowledge with people, rather than to keep it for yourself.

Mr. Resendez’s transition from online learning to in-person learning was difficult.

“I’ve had to transition from people who generally wanted to learn about math, to people who had to come to class and don’t want to participate,” states Mr. Resendez. 

He also talked about how his mentality from when he was in high school changed when he went into college. 

“I spent quite a bit of time in college, so that mentality has been engraved in me. I’m here not because my parents are telling me to, but because I have that desire to learn. I always want to learn something,” conveys Mr. Resendez.

Mr. Resendez’s goals for the year are to get another stripe on his wrestling belt and to get his students more involved in math. Essentially, he wants to teach them how to become full-on mathematicians. Mr. Resendez is currently looking forward to the dress-up days.

“I missed the very first ones. I just had a newborn, so I didn’t have the energy to dress up,” he said. “I also heard there’s going to be a meme day, so I’m excited about that.”

Mr. Resendez used to play recreational soccer when he was younger. His current hobbies include wrestling, working out, and being with his wife and newborn daughter.

One thing Mr. Resendez wants to emphasize is the college major of STEM.

“If you are going into college as a STEM major, don’t do homework for points, do it for learning.” When he was younger, he said that he struggled with math and when he took the time to do the homework for his learning, rather than for points, he got better at math. 

“Think of math as voluntary practice,” he said.