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R. Ray Depew

Teacher


High School Mathematics

In March 2003, my career took an unexpected turn, as my employer decided to lay off 4000 employees worldwide, including me. My dream of becoming a high school teacher after retirement was accelerated somewhat, as I got a job as a high school mathematics tutor in a local school district.

Because of my mathematics and teaching skills, and my ability to establish a rapport with students of all backgrounds, I acquired a reputation around the school as a good teacher. I received encouragement from students, their parents, and teachers both at my school and in other schools, to pursue a teaching license through Colorado's Alternative Licensure program.

In August 2005, I became a 7th grade mathematics teacher at a local middle school. One year later, I received my teaching license and became a full-fledged teacher.

My role models were two math teachers I worked with at Silver Creek High School, Debby Stevens and Matt Smedley. I can't really identify any spectacular teachers I had as a child, whom I would hold up as role models, although I did have many good teachers. Matt and Debby are without a doubt the best math teachers I've seen in a long time.

A statistic thrown around lately (2007), and repeated in the independent movie Chalk, says that almost 50% of new teachers quit teaching within their first five years. I'm one of those. After two years, a combination of burnout, frustration with the low wages, dealing with non-teaching issues, and a revived job market, prompted me to quit teaching and return to engineering.

What did I get out of teaching? I got to make a positive difference in the lives of almost 200 young people. Many of them still keep in touch with me, and more than one of them has chosen to go into teaching because of my example.

And I can't stay away from teaching. I still moonlight as an independent math tutor.

School picture 2006

LDS Early Morning Seminary

Every morning before school starts, Latter-Day Saint high school students attend religious studies classes at a home or church building near their school. These classes are called "seminary."

The textbook for seminary is the holy scriptures. The curriculum covers all four years of high school, with one year devoted to each of the following books:

I had the pleasure of teaching seminary four times: from 1982 to 1983, from 1991 to 1994, from August 2000 to May 2005, and from November 2007 to May 2010. That's twelve years, off and on. I have enjoyed teaching these kids, and I have formed many lifelong friendships as a result. I still enjoy seeing them and their own families at wedding receptions, vacations and other events.


Edited by VIM Created by Ray Depew, 11 March 2005
Last edited by Ray Depew, 19 August 2013