In fact, Mr. Bauer hated math in high school. During his junior year at Whitesboro, he took an MVCC dual credit course intending it to be the last math class he would have to take. Ever. Upon entry at Utica University, he was placed in a calculus course that would change the trajectory of his life.
What differentiated this class from his high school experiences was the delivery of instruction. Mr. Bauer believes that the best instruction is really self-actualized. During his time in college math courses, he realized that math came a lot easier to him when he had to just “figure it out.” And, luckily for him, that’s what his Calc. 1 class was all about. Each night for homework his class was assigned a problem, with minimal instruction. In class, he had the challenge of teaching his peers what he had figured out the night prior for homework.
That’s when it all clicked. “Oh, I kinda like doing this!” he recalled.
After that salient Calc.1 class, Mr. Bauer decided to switch his major from health studies, to math education. From there he completed all the necessary courses to become a math educator. Being a fresh teacher, he is open to different ways of teaching. He notes that it’s important for students to “approach problems, recognize the challenge, and solve them in a unique way.” He always tells his students to not be limited by their limited experiences with high school math, and reminds them to always be open to mathematics post-high school.
As for his interests outside of school, he enjoys a plethora of different activities. From chess to rock climbing, he is certainly a jack-of-all trades. He ran cross country for six years of school, and track for three.
Despite his rather quiet nature, Mr. Bauer is a self-proclaimed “metalhead,” enjoying bands like Pantera, Gojira, and Tool. He not only listens to metal music, but he also plays the drums.
Last September he taught his first ever Geometry, and Geometry Prep. classes. Marlee Winfield, a sophomore who was in his first Geometry class, describes his teaching methods as “easy to understand, but also entertaining.” She then went on to describe his easy-going nature stating, “If the homework assigned seemed repetitive, Mr. Bauer would cut the redundant problems.” Marlee enjoyed his class, and appreciated his fresh ideas and comfortable classroom environment.
Lillian Brady, another sophomore who was also in his first class, had a similar experience. She noted, “His class was entertaining…” She paused for a moment, then added “and he was always willing to explain concepts more in depth one on one, too.”
Lillian reflected that, “he can relate to his students easily,” which she thought contributed to the positive classroom environment. Both girls wished him well in his upcoming years at New Hartford.
From an administrative perspective, Mr. Benson was able to shed some light on the hiring process. He explained that the number of teacher applications, especially math teachers, is at an all-time low. Despite having fewer candidates, Mr. Benson was delighted to tell me that he and the hiring committee were impressed with Mr. Bauer. He noted that Mr. Bauer was very knowledgeable, and seemed like he would be able to relate to teens.
“We’re glad to have Mr. Bauer on board,” Mr. Benson said.
