Yinger Chen and Vitoria Medeiros contributed to this article
Malden High School is lucky to welcome returning math teacher Jason Asciola. Asciola has returned to MHS for his 26th year of teaching after moving back from the Salemwood School. Since his return, Asciola has been teaching Math 1, both CP and Honors, along with AP Statistics.
“At some point, I just realized that I would really enjoy coming back to the high school, to teach some high-level math, and to work with some students who really have a high motivation and desire to learn,” Asciola expressed.
Kelle Griffin, a business teacher who teaches Sports & Marketing that is located across the hall from Asciola, said, “Even certain students going down the hall to a different classroom stop and say hello to him. So, he clearly has a strong relationship with his students.”
When Asciola is not in a classroom environment or playing his favorite video games, he’s outside. Asciola enjoys gardening, looking at different flowers, finding all sorts of insects, and just exploring the world around him. “Even in the winter, I’ll be outside as much as I can,” Asciola mentioned.
His passion is only amplified when he teaches. One of Asciola’s students, senior Rosalyn Ruan said, “he always ensures that we understand the lesson, and if we don’t, he’ll keep trying until we do.”
Principal Michael Sabin enjoys the phrase “hit the ground listening.” Asciola has clearly managed to do this with the students he’s already connected with in such a short period of time. Ruan added, “Asciola helps me become the best version of myself by just setting an environment where I know he’ll walk me through the concepts and the lesson. I think it’s easy to feel intimidated in an AP math class, but he’s able to help reduce some of that intimidation.”
His students aren’t the only ones to have words of praise for Asciola.
“Hilarious, talented, kind, devoted, patient, amiable, positive, and charming” were some of the words used to describe Asciola by other staff members. Many pointed out his great sense of humor and positive energy.
Asciola’s classroom reflects his teaching style; his bright and energetic personality is seen throughout the environment.
“I’m drawn to the classroom,” Griffin concluded.
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