Welcome back to Doodle Caboodle, the series where we sit down with the people who shape everyday life at Nysmith. This episode, Daisy shows up dressed as Flash to meet Mr. Williams, who teaches fifth through eighth grade math and is in his fifth year at Nysmith after many years teaching middle school elsewhere. 
Math Beyond the Textbook
Ask Mr. Williams what he likes about teaching math at Nysmith, and the answer is freedom. He gets to go beyond what's in the curriculum, and he takes full advantage of it.
"I get to be creative and do above and beyond what's in the curriculum."
He draws on books like The Heart of Mathematics, which takes complicated subjects down to a level that even non-mathematicians can follow, while still reaching the exciting parts of math, such as levels of infinity that most people never think about. At Nysmith, he said, teachers aren't required to do strictly what's in the textbook and nothing else.
A Teacher Everyone Seems to Know
After this many years of teaching in the area, Mr. Williams runs into former students and their families all the time. Just recently, a preschool family came through for a visit and recognized him from his years teaching their older child, who went on to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
His current students have noticed it too. He recently told his class about a clever way to draw Venn diagrams that he picked up from a well-known teacher at a private school. When students asked who that was, he told them, "I taught him." A couple of students looked at him and said, "You taught everyone."
Why Middle School?
Asked what superpower he brings to the school, Mr. Williams said remaining calm, along with simply enjoying fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. That second part often surprises people. When he tells neighbors he teaches middle school, he said, the reaction is sympathy. "They look at me and say, you poor man, can we bring you a cake or something?"
He sees something different. Kindergartners have that sense of "wow, what's next?" and he's found older students have it too.
"Believe it or not, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders can have those same moments."
His favorite moment is when a student discovers a piece of math and says, "Wow, we never thought of this before."
A Classroom Where It's Safe to Be Wrong
Many Nysmith students come to the school looking for a place to use their creativity and spend time with like-minded peers. In Mr. Williams's classroom, that often means students walking up to the board to show a technique, sometimes one better than his own.
"They know it's safe if they make an error, and then they won't hesitate to take risks in the future."
It's the kind of comfort that makes a real difference, because students who aren't afraid to be wrong are the ones willing to try something new.
Why Number Theory Matters
Asked for his favorite area of math, Mr. Williams named number theory and set theory, with group theory close behind. He's the first to admit that some corners of math may never be useful, and that mathematicians who love them don't mind a bit.
Number theory, though, has a way of turning out to matter. Ideas discovered decades and even centuries ago quietly support modern life, including the RSA code that makes it possible to use a credit card online. "Even though it may not be useful at the time," he said, "a lot of number theory concepts are."
Still Having Fun
Mr. Williams decided to become a math teacher in ninth grade, and he hasn't looked back.
"I decided I was going to teach math when I was in ninth grade, and since the first day, I've had nothing but fun teaching."
He even gives up part of his summers for it. About twenty years ago, a parent asked him to run a local math enrichment camp. His first answer was "not a chance." He'd had summers off since kindergarten, he told her, and planned to keep it that way. She talked him into it, and he's been looking forward to it ever since. As for retiring, he plans to keep going until he needs to.
A Few Fun Facts
- Mr. Williams is a dog person. He has an 11-pound toy poodle named Tyson, and people who hear the name tend to expect a much bigger dog.
- He has taught middle school for nearly his entire career.
- Daisy's Flash costume lasted about as long as the robots in the background held her attention.
Experience the Nysmith Difference
More stories from the Nysmith community are coming in future episodes of Doodle Caboodle. But nothing tells the story quite like seeing it in person. We invite you to schedule a tour and experience the Nysmith difference for yourself.
