Force Multiplier: Math’s Gary Thomas

When asked to distinguish a good teacher from a great teacher, Gary Thomas said, “I think a great teacher is one who can establish a meaningful connection with his or her students, or relationship with his or her students.” This is probably one of the more overlooked qualities in a teacher, but it is vital in order to establish trust within a classroom.

Perhaps the most interesting fact about Thomas is that he began teaching Algebra I, Algebra II, and Algebra II with Trigonometry fairly recently. Before, Thomas served as an engineer in the military as Colonel and enjoyed “the very, very wide variety of challenges. Almost no two jobs were the same.” Despite the thrill of tackling a challenge at his old job, Thomas retired after 30 years of working. Thomas has always found education deeply interesting, and wished to make a difference in the community, and challenge himself in a new way.

Thomas wishes to prove that the past can influence the future. When asked if his past profession helped him to be a successful teacher, he said, “Assuming you think I am successful, it definitely gave me the ability to deal with new challenges, and try different approaches if one wasn’t succeeding. It also gave me practical experience that I try to bring to the classroom.”

Teachers that are fun and do not require a lot of homework are always favorites of students. Thomas requires students to take notes and assigns nightly homework, while still trying to earn their respect. Thomas uses his energy, which he said comes from his students, to attempt to hold their attention and teach them vital mathematical concepts.

Thomas said he always strives to inspire success in students. He said that in order to succeed in school, a student must have integrity. “The key to student success is a certain amount of intellectual curiosity, but more importantly, the desire to succeed and the knowledge that they have to work hard to do that.” Thus, Thomas believes students can achieve their goals even if they are not as naturally intelligent as others. This shows his belief in his students, which probably helps them form a bond with him.

Despite his engineering past, Thomas seems dedicated to his teaching and students. He uses said energetic personality to make an attempt at keeping students awake. If one student is not paying attention, he will definitely reprimand them. However, this does not mean that he does not like his students. In fact, Thomas said, “As a teacher, what inspires me are my students. I get energy from them, and they always push me to improve myself and my teaching.”

Thomas may have started out as a colonel in the military, but now he seems content as a teacher, working to inspire each student who walks into his classroom.