Math Teacher John O’Malley has been nominated for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). O’Malley was nominated for this award last year and has been working towards the final rounds of the competition, Math Instructional Supervisor Phillip Gartner said.
O’Malley has been teaching in the Math Department at South for 12 years, and he prides himself on not just teaching math, but also for helping students enjoy it, he explained.
“I like to make a positive impact on students [at South],” O’Malley said. “I have made a couple [students] into math people.”
O’Malley explained that he started teaching math by combining his love for working with people and his favorite subject. He had struggled with math in high school, so he became a math teacher to help the students who were struggling just like he did. He explained that one of his favorite parts about teaching is the atmosphere created by his students.
“When I am having a bad day, there is always a good kid in class that helps cheer me up,” O’Malley said. “I feel like I have made some really good relationships with [them].” Gartner is excited that O’Malley is getting recognized nationally for his talents. Gartner especially admires the way O’Malley keeps his students engaged during his class.
“The 90 minutes [of O’malley’s class] stay engaging,” Gartner said. “[O’malley] knows what gets students motivated and engaged, which makes them do their best work.”
Additionally, one of his former students, junior Seira Honda, expressed her excitement for O’Malley’s nomination. She explained that before she met him, she did not enjoy math, but O’Malley helped her change her mind with his enthusiasm.
“O’Malley is really deserving of this award because he is so passionate about his students,” Honda said. “He [would] come to class every day with so much energy [and enthusiasm] and would make math class something to look forward to.”
