Watching the video sent by Noa and Anderson, my former students, moved me. They spoke about encouragement, the time we devoted to learning and the willingness to be there for them. But one sentence in particular stayed with me: passion is contagious.
I invite you to listen to them. The video is in English, with embedded Hebrew and Arabic subtitles.
What passes from teacher to student?
As teachers, we think carefully about what we teach. Which concepts students will understand, which questions we will ask and how we will help them work through difficulties. Alongside all of this, we bring our own relationship with learning into the classroom.
Are we curious? Are we interested in hearing an approach we did not expect? Are we willing to pause, listen and try again? Students encounter our answers through our actions, day after day.
Noa and Anderson remind me that a passion for teaching can be felt even when it is never explicitly discussed. It is there in the attention we give, the excitement about an idea and the willingness to spend a little longer helping something become clear.
Encouragement, time and passion
Three things stand out to me in their testimony. The first is encouragement: the feeling that a teacher wants to help a student bring out their best. The second is extra time together, those meetings that make room to keep asking, practising and understanding. The third is a passion for teaching, which Noa describes as something that reaches the students too.
For me, these three things are connected. Passion becomes meaningful when it turns into presence and action. Encouragement gains depth when we are willing to accompany the effort it invites. And time together allows a relationship to grow.
This does not mean every student will experience a lesson in the same way, or that enthusiasm alone is enough. Knowledge, listening, clarity and responsiveness to different needs matter too. This is the personal testimony of two students, and it is precious to me precisely because it tells how they experienced our shared journey.
Mathematics education is first and foremost education
This is one of the ideas at the heart of Fundamatics. Alongside mathematical understanding, I want to nurture curiosity, confidence and a willingness to explore. To help students feel that questions are welcome, that they can take their time and that difficulty is not the end of the road.
When I listen to Noa and Anderson, I think about what may remain of an educational encounter after the lessons are over. A way of approaching a question. A willingness to try. The memory of someone who took an interest, encouraged you and shared your excitement.
Thank you, Noa and Anderson, for your words and for the privilege of being your teacher.
Which teacher sparked your passion for learning, and what has stayed with you?
Further reading: What Remains Between a Teacher and a Student?
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