Sarah Etienne and Ani Guillaume also contributed to this article
Meet Aaron Johnson, a new and impressive mathematics and statistics teacher located in Boyle House. Johnson, a graduate of Vanderbilt University, strives to bring his love for math to his students.
Upon graduating from Vanderbilt, Johnson had not yet worked in education. He is from a small town in Kentucky called Corbin, which is culturally, politically, and demographically different from Boston. For instance, Malden has eight times as many residents as Corbin.
After graduating, he was eager to relocate. When Johnson went to Vanderbilt University, he decided to let himself find his path as opposed to committing to a specific career. His two options were mathematics and computer science.
Johnson also dabbled in tap dance and was a soloist, creating various choreographies at his university, while being on the ‘Vandy Tap That’ tap dance team. Outside of school, he likes to listen to Taylor Swift and has a passion for stirring up homemade sweet treats, such as ice cream.
Principal Christopher Mastrangelo expressed his enthusiasm when hiring Johnson. “We loved him in the first interview. We just couldn’t move him forward because of certification.” Mastrangelo continued to explain that when another job opened up, he called “to say that he’s certified,” allowing him to be hired.
Johnson continuously impresses those around him. “He brings a lot of fresh knowledge; he just graduated from college. He took classes a lot more recently than someone like me. He’s got a lot of fresh ideas, brings a lot of energy, and knows a bit more about the way that our students communicate. He finds ways to integrate students’ interests into math,” Christopher Giordano, lead teacher of the Math Department, stated.
As Johnson begins his first school year at Malden High, teaching Statistics and Math 3 College Prep and Honors, he is eager to make a lasting impact on his students. “What stands out about him is that he actually takes time to understand the well-being of his students. One thing he does to connect with both me and other students is that he finds something that we both relate to and relates it to math,” junior Venusia Teklu, a student in Johnson’s period three class, shared.
Senior Rachel Lanza, a student in Johnson’s period two Statistics class, voiced that Johnson positively “accepts criticism” and “cares about” his students’ learning. “He’s open to changing methods and working around us,” Lanza added, continuing to explain how even though she doesn’t enjoy math, the class is a space where they can get work done and “pop jokes left and right.”
“So far, things are going really well, and his students are in class and learning their math. So I think Aaron’s going to bring a lot of energy to his classes and hopefully get students excited to learn a subject that can be difficult for a lot of students,” expressed Boyle House principal Caitlin Quinn.
Johnson himself described his experience at Malden High School in the last few weeks as “so far so good.” He enjoys “the student population” and “teachers here.”
Jean Jones, a fellow math teacher, explained how his background can be an “asset” because he can “build connections with students who are interested in life outside New England and might be able to connect with students due to his relative youth and seeming relatability to teenagers.” Jones continued, “There was a student who was not in his class, and the student asked me something that I didn’t know, and he took the time to go over the concept with both of us.”
Above all, Johnson’s eagerness and dedication to his job are visible in every class he teaches. His passion for education shines through his teaching style. By connecting with his students, he ensures that students have fun and get work done in his classes.
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