Why I believe in every student
Something I can say that many tutors can’t: I know exactly what it feels like to be the kid who doesn’t get it.
I was diagnosed with a learning disability in elementary school. From second grade through high school, I was regularly pulled out of class for extra help. My grades were well below average. This wasn’t a “needs to apply himself” situation — I mean genuinely struggling. In my junior year, my guidance counselor sat me down and recommended I look at trade schools instead of college.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with trade school. I just knew, deep down, it wasn’t the path for me. Because for as long as I could remember, I knew I was going to be a roller coaster designer. I drew them, built little models of them, designed them on the computer. (You know… normal kid stuff.) And I knew that dream needed an engineering degree — which meant trade school wasn’t going to get me there.
So I made a decision...
I decided I would do whatever it took. I worked as hard as I possibly could — which was good enough to get me rejected by every single school I applied to except my backup. Not exactly a movie moment.
But I kept going. I eventually transferred schools and earned a degree in Physics, graduating with honors. Then I went after a Master’s in Civil Engineering, spent two years buried in studying, and graduated with a 4.0. Later, I earned a Doctorate in Education, graduating among the earliest in my cohort.
What I learned from all of this, and the thing I believe most, is that I don’t see any of us as being born “smarter” than anyone else. The only real difference I see between people when it comes to success is their combination of desire and willingness to put in the hours — hours that almost always go unnoticed. And that’s one of the most important things I try to get students to understand: If you want something badly enough and are willing to put in the time and effort, nothing can stop you from getting it.
So what happened to the roller coaster dream?
I never planned to be a teacher. I fell into it almost by accident, as a temporary job — but I instantly fell in love with it and never looked back. It turns out the people who “design” roller coasters mostly just do the math to make sure they stay up safely. Who wants to do math all day?
…okay, fair, me. But you get the idea.
There is nothing more satisfying to me than watching a student truly understand something they were sure they never could — and then watching them turn around and be successful with it. And that’s exactly the reason I do this.
What I think every student needs
As the student who needed all four, I’ve come to believe that students need:
To believe they can
I was steered away from college and later earned a doctorate — and I’ve watched students who were certain they weren’t “math people” turn into the strongest students in the room. I stopped believing in limitations after seeing evidence continue to pile up against them.
To feel safe being wrong
For years, I was afraid of being judged for my questions, so I held back. But when I finally started speaking up, I found out I was rarely the only one confused. People will still judge — but I learned to see that as a flaw in them, not in the person asking. No one should be made to feel small for not knowing something.
To relentlessly ask questions
Once I finally started asking questions, I was told I asked too many (go figure). I’m still known for it — but that’s the very reason I never stopped learning. The more a student asks, the better their questions get, and the more value the answers hold.
To be given time to think
Almost no one thinks clearly under pressure — I certainly don’t. So I never rush a student who’s thinking through something. (The AP exam is timed, which we can’t change — so instead, we practice managing that pressure head-on.)
He did what I thought was impossible – made math fun. His approach is methodical and patient, all the while showing his students how to practically apply classroom teachings in the real world – whether it be through finance, engineering or technology.
BrianPrecalculusUniversity of Miami