By Quinn Willett – Staff Reporter

Mr. Walsh is a math teacher at Jonathan Law. He has worked at Jonathan Law for five years, but this is his last year at Law as he is moving to Georgia this summer. Advocate Staff Reporter Quinn Willett interviewed Walsh about his years at Law. 

Quinn Willett: What made you decide to become a math teacher?

Mr. Walsh: Before I was a teacher I worked an office job in market research. I did not like sitting at a desk all day and answering emails. I like being on my feet and discussing ideas with students much more.

QW: What do you like most about teaching math?

MW: Mathematics serves as the basis for so much of the world around us. Without mathematics you wouldn’t have GPS, ChatGPT, encryption, and many other features of life in the 21st century. Some students obviously don’t love math or don’t have a special gift for it. Math class can still serve as a place to learn perseverance and determination — it is not easy to learn those things if you are just taking easy classes that you enjoy. I also tell students that we need to offer it to everyone since we can’t know in advance who will love it and who won’t. It’s the only fair and equitable way to find people that might be interested in math related careers.

QW: What went into your decision to leave Jonathan Law?

MW: My wife got a job as a professor of Anthropology at Georgia College. She works in a very specialized field and if you can get a job as a professor with tenure you really can’t pass it up. Also her family lives down there so I will have my in-laws nearby.

QW: Where are you teaching next?

MW: I don’t know my classes for next year yet but it would be high school math of course.

QW: What will you miss most about teaching at Law?

MW: My colleagues! I will also miss the students but the thing about that is they all cycle out after 4 years anyways. Some of my fellow teachers have become close friends.