I want to be a community college math teacher...

Last night; A funk jazz club.

A friend and I were sitting at the bar while the young, clean cut, blond haired, double piercing guy filled a dozen glasses of water in front of us.

"My job is to keep the trays full," he told us with a flash of a smile, as he systematically lined up, filled with ice, and topped off each with water. I commented on the precision and care with which he meticulously lined the three rows of glasses, maximizing his space.

"Well I want to be a math teacher, so I'm all about math... efficiency." He explained, and his water methodology. I mean, we found out, this guy LOVED math!! He downloads problems off the internet for fun. Talking about it his face lights up. Those people who just love something and their instantly energized telling you about it. Yeah, I get off on that. Math is his life and his future. "I know it sounds really weird, but I want to teach math- but only at a community college."

Now I've done the community college thing and was so jazzed that this 25 year old, fashionable guy could like math so much I couldn't find it weird. In fact I practically jumped over the bar to give him a high five!

But his story continues, first with this history: he tried university and had an awful freshmen term so he left. Then tried the community college and now with 40 credits to his name he's ready to head back to the larger university and complete his degree.

With the water tray filled and not a drop spilled, he dumped the reality of his situation. "Yeah, I found out today I don't qualify for financial aid. I got in, and it looks like I won't be able to go." The look on his face was as if he just realized solving 2+2 would destroy the world. Crushing! Crushing me along with him. This was the guy you want teaching your kids which train will arrive at which station first and why calculus matters. Hip, young, and energized and absolutely in love with the idea of solving problems with an equal sign! And it may not happen!

I'll remember him for that. For the reality that is the financial costs of education and what it means to our society that complains our kids hate math. What it means about the value of knowledge and the stratification of access. I really hope he becomes that hip math teacher. He should be the guy that guides the next Einstien or even gets people to finally understand "x" has a meaning. Sadly I'll never know.