DEAR EDITOR:
Anyone who says that Mr. Scott is not a good math teacher is
incompetent and irresponsible in their assertions.
DEAR EDITOR:
Anyone who says that Mr. Scott is not a good math teacher is incompetent and irresponsible in their assertions. Mr. Scott is an excellent math teacher. I have had him for the entirety of this year and last year as well, so who better to ask than a student about his teaching skills.
To say that he is responsible for the “passing” rate on the AP test is irresponsible to the utmost degree. First of all, I’ve been in two of his classes, and I know that he is a good teacher. He has taught me a lot of math in the past two years. Last year, I took Integrated Math III, and he had to review almost the entire previous year’s class because previous teachers had not sufficiently covered the information; that is not his fault!
We rehashed the important material from the previous year and still completed our new unit on top of that. However, in AP Stats we have not regressed at all. If you sign up for AP Stats you must expect the rigors and challenges of that class. You cannot sign up expecting to just go through the motions so that that college of your choice will accept you. I personally, am not going to a university, simply because I do not have the cumulative GPA. This year has by far been the most difficult for me, and the most academically successful. Recently, I was given the ultimate test of my stats skills – I was given the AP Stats exam. I believe that I passed that exam because of Mr. Scott’s teachings. I knew the material; I knew what to expect, and I sincerely believe that had anyone else taught me I would not have fared as well.
Mr. Scott has also taught me much about things other than math. He is an excellent mentor, and a great person. He has taught me more about the “real world” than any other teacher.
One of the most important things he has taught me is to read in between the lines. He has taught me not to believe everything that is told to me. I believe that I know more about the political system; I believe myself not only better equipped for the AP exam (note: it has already taken place), but better equipped for life. That is not something you can gauge by numbers. That is only something you can gauge in your heart.
I know that the effect he has had on me will last for my entire life, and I will never forget what he has taught me. Mr. Scott is an excellent teacher, an excellent mentor, an excellent coach, and an excellent person. Anyone who says that Mr. Scott is not a good teacher is incompetent, and only capable of making rash rebuttals in the opinion column.
Michael Haney, senior at Gilroy High
Submitted Monday, May 10 to ed****@gi************.com
