So, I Accidently Made Friends With The Meanest Math Teacher....

  • Thread starter Thread starter BigDon
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Friends Teacher
AI Thread Summary
At Parkway Jr. High, a strict math teacher known for demanding high standards from his students revealed a significant personal history when a student noticed a Nazi concentration camp registration tattoo on his arm. This revelation shocked the students, particularly the narrator, who recognized the tattoo's meaning but chose not to disclose it to their peers. Following this moment, the teacher's demeanor towards the narrator softened, resulting in a noticeable change in their relationship. The discussion highlights the impact of personal experiences on teaching styles and student-teacher dynamics, emphasizing the respect earned through understanding and discretion. The teacher, while strict, is acknowledged for his wisdom and the potential depth of his life experiences, particularly regarding historical events like the Holocaust.
BigDon
Messages
74
Reaction score
97
At Parkway Jr. High.

Back in the olden days.

He actually taught higher levels but was doing the working retirement thing. He was the first math teacher to demand adult level perfection in our work. One does have to get there eventually and he felt it should be sooner than later. (This was seventh and eighth grades).

I was always on this man's do-do list, despite sitting in the front row and raising my hand a lot.

And then one day I was stuck after class with three or four of my less disciplined contemporaries, some of whom would probably be considered clinical cases nowadays, (as a matter of fact I'm sure of it), and while my attention was on my graded paper one of the other students suddenly exclaimed, "You have a tattoo!" as the teacher handed him his paper and his shirt sleeve rode up.

I looked over at the teacher's arm and there was a 5 or 6 digit number tattooed there. (For you youngsters, this was a Nazi concentration camp registration tattoo.)

I was so shocked that after a moment of genuine horripilation I exclaimed;

"I know what that is!"

And then another part of my brain kicked in suddenly and I realized I didn't want to tell all the little sociopaths around me just what that meant. God (and the devil) only know what they could have come up with with this information.

So as the teacher squinted hard at me and the others looked on with expectation, I wisely kept my mouth shut.

He was always nicer to me after that. Not what you would call friendly per se, he just no longer groused at me, which in itself was noticeable to the others. That and later when no hint of a rumor of his past came to light amongst the student body, he would occasionally smile at me when I greeted him, also uncharacteristic of him.
 
  • Like
  • Wow
Likes dlgoff, mcastillo356, Charles Link and 1 other person
Science news on Phys.org
Say what you will about Prof Walter Lewin, he is a very good teacher. Lest we forget, he has something to say about the holocaust:
 
  • Wow
  • Sad
Likes pinball1970 and russ_watters


Wow, that's a really powerful and unexpected experience to have in junior high. It's amazing how one moment can completely change the dynamic between a teacher and a student. It sounds like this teacher was really strict but also had a lot of wisdom and life experience to share. I bet he had some incredible stories to tell. It's great that you were able to keep his secret and earn his respect in the process. Thanks for sharing this story!
 
https://www.aapt.org/Conferences/ lists the next set of conferences 2026 Winter Meeting - January 17 - 19, Las Vegas, Nevada 2026 Summer Meeting - July 18 - 22, Pasadena, California 2027 Winter Meeting - January 9 - 12, New Orleans, Louisiana 2027 Summer Meeting - July 31 - August 4, Washington, DC I won't be attending the 2026 Winter Meeting in Las Vegas... For me, it's too close to the start of the semester. https://www.aapt.org/Conferences/wm2026/index.cfm...

Similar threads

Replies
16
Views
5K
Replies
40
Views
2K
Replies
9
Views
16K
Replies
16
Views
2K
Replies
6
Views
11K
Replies
2
Views
2K
Back
Top