Class of 2009 Induction Comments
Delivered at SDB Annual Conference, Friday, January 22, 2010
Michael Black oversees the math program at VanDamme Academy, a relatively new private K-8 school in Aliso Viejo, California, including the math instruction for grades 4 through 8. He is a graduate of Texas A&M and UC Santa Barbara, where he earned an MA in Pure Mathematics. Michael has traveled widely, often in pursuit of the perfect wave. He has taught in both large public schools and modest-sized independent schools. He appears to have found his niche at the Academy. His nominating student, currently an 8th grader, confirms this good match. “The ordinary math teacher has 30 pupils and teaches all of them the same thing with no special attention towards any of them. Mr. Black is different. A student in Mr. Black’s classroom does not have to worry about getting lost in the crowd.” The student goes on: “Mr. Black finds a way to relate the logic he teaches us in geometry to real life.” For Michael, the mission is “to help free our school community of people who say, ‘I hate math.’” In his words, “I enjoy the responsibility of finding creative ways to break through mental barriers to learning, of challenging students at their own levels of ability, and make them feel recognized and appreciated as unique individuals.” Michael goes on: “Being able to adapt, creatively and compassionately, to the individual child is one of the greatest pleasures of teaching.” Responsibility and satisfaction – these are strong bookends for any professional. Nice work, Michael, and welcome as an SDB fellow.
