Martha A. Duran, 12th Grade Algebra I and Geometry
Jaime Escalante Mathematics Teacher Awards 1996
Teacher: John Kambe, Belvedere Middle School, Los Angeles Unified School District
I have had the distinct pleasure of knowing a very special math teacher. He cares about his students' future and motivates them not only to succeed in math but to learn and appreciate its practicality.
In class, I listened intently to his lessons and, day by day, they became more intriguing, helpful, and amusing. My teacher always thought of ways to make the lessons easier to comprehend, giving us techniques that helped us remember the important steps for understanding and solving each type of problem.
He always encouraged me to try harder, to go the extra mile. If I was having trouble, he always encouraged me to attend the tutoring sessions he administered so I could get individual attention and gain confidence about my ability to succeed in math. In the classroom, he never put me down, always encouraging me to speak out.
If I gave the wrong answer, he would tell me, "Come on, you have to try harder. You can do it. Think!" His encouragement showed me he cared about not only how much I learned, but whether I understood.
He always encouraged all the students to stay with math and go the furthest we could in life. "The sky is the limit," he would say, "You can do it," telling us to aim high and not give up.
For a while, he tutored our math class on Saturday mornings at East Los Angeles Community College as part of the Escalante Math Program. On those Saturdays, he would teach trigonometry and, when I took trig in high school, that preparation made it much easier to understand.
My teacher was so special not just through his unique teaching ability but also his ability to listen and understand each individual just as they are, the respect he shows to everyone, and the fact that he never discriminates or indicates any favoritism.
I consider him a great professional and a very intelligent human being who holds math in a special place in his heart, knows how to teach effectively, and can communicate with each individual who crosses his path.
A teacher who loves his job is very special and, whenever we would ask him whether he would join the other teachers if a strike occurred, he would comment, "What, and leave you guys? Then who is going to teach you?"
Very few teachers are like him, and he deserves more than just a simple "Thank you!"
