Teacher Spotlight: Mr. Gornto By Caroline Schneider
After school, Mr. Gornto’s classroom transformed into a lively hub of learning as students gathered for tutoring sessions offered by their highly dedicated math teacher. The room buzzed with a mix of focused concentration and collaborative energy as students worked through problems together, guided by Mr. Gornto’s expert advice. This teacher really multiplied his students’ understanding and subtracted their confusion through his tutoring sessions. Each student brought their own challenges and questions, the teacher moved from student to student, offering personalized explanations and strategies. He’s got all the right formulas for making math more fun and engaging.
Dedication can be seen from both angles of the math tutoring sessions. The sessions wouldn’t have been offered if it wasn’t for Mr. Gornto, who went above and beyond to help his students succeed. Students were encouraged to stay after school, which requires that extra commitment in order to see improvement in their skills. One of his own AP pre-calc students, junior Tea Prior, has noticed progression in her math skills ever since she began attending his sessions. “I have been able to ask questions off of homework that I needed extra help with and be able to understand the concepts more clearly for the tests.” Putting in the effort really does add up to great results.
Math teachers don’t just teach, they help students figure out the root of their problems. Mr. Gornto devotes his time and energy to his students, he enjoys seeing how a student’s mindset can change over time. “There are a lot of things that I enjoy about teaching students math. My favorite is seeing a student that says they don't like math or they have a hard time with the material and understanding it. The students work hard and they get it and do well on a test or quiz. That is super rewarding. A lot of times students say they don't like math. Math can be hard, but if they work hard and ask questions…they can get it.” Teacher recognition and encouragement is key to a student’s motivation to do better in a subject, especially when it comes to math.
Gornto made sure to acknowledge how different students’ minds think when it comes to getting better at math. “Most of the students that come to tutoring are already motivated either by their grades or wanting to learn the subject better...maybe learn some things for one of the high stakes tests. The hard part is getting students who need the help to come to tutoring. That's why I don't give extra work and give extra credit. Students can understand the material they just have to put a little more productive time into math and they can get it.” Overtime, students strengthened their capabilities and learned valuable lessons on discipline. Mr. Gornto agreed saying, “Math is important in so many ways. It teaches discipline, logical thinking, attention to details and problem solving. It teaches students that if there is a big problem, break it down into smaller problems and solve those problems, then they can solve the big problem.” Math can be enjoyable, as long as you approach it with the right angle.