It’s no surprise that students enjoy Mr. Samuel Mills’s math class so much; he has a unique ability to make a dull subject very interesting. Mills has been a math teacher at Oakdale High School since it opened in 2010. And like every student and staff member, Mr. Mills navigates the chaos of the school as he starts his morning.
“I come through the chaos of the morning parking lot and everyone trying to get places,” Mills explains. “Right now I have first block planning, so I get the day together and off we go.” During this planning block, Mills focuses on things such as grading, emailing, and making lesson plans; he has also worked on various ways to encourage students to learn and get involved with the subject.
His strategies range from trying to make math more appealing to encouraging students to stay on top of their work. He demonstrates this by getting to know students and reaching out to them when they need help. These tactics may not always work for all students, but he’s willing to adapt to new learning styles.
“Every year is completely different and every kid is a completely different scenario and you have to go from there,” Mills states. “A lot of times the same solutions work but that’s not always true.”
Mr. Mills’s teaching has had a strong impact on students as shown by junior Jonas Sparks. Sparks is a student in Calculus AB, the yearlong course Mills teaches; he describes Mills’s teaching style as more positive than math classes he has taken in the past. “At the end of class we always get to do our homework early and he’s funny so that’s a perk, ” Sparks shared. “I’m happy he’s my teacher.”
Mills’s motivation for students extends beyond the subject of math into a more personal side. He helps his students understand that they are able to do things no matter the challenge and that it is okay for them to struggle. He has put himself out there as a resource for students to talk to and get help from when they need it. Furthermore, he recognizes and pushes his students to understand that a ‘B’ is a good grade and that there is more to life than the grades you earn in a high school math class.
“If you don’t try and fail there’s no feedback that you’re giving yourself,” Mills voiced. “Be honest, communicate what you need and even if you don‘t know exactly what you need, you can still ask for help.”
Mr. Mills’ dedication to his teaching has made a positive impact on the students and community at Oakdale over the years and he will continue to make these impacts for many years to come.
