Ryan Robinson, who has been teaching math at Townsend Harris in recent years, was hired this fall to teach Instructional Support Services (ISS) math classes.
Mr. Robinson first developed a passion for teaching during his high school years. Oftentimes, he said, he would tutor his classmates and he once taught a short segment of his AP Calculus BC class. He earned his college degree from CUNY Hunter College and then taught Algebra I to freshmen and sophomores at Aviation High School before coming to Townsend Harris, where he has been teaching Algebra I and Algebra II for the past three and a half years.
Throughout his time at THHS, Mr. Robinson said he’s been juggling his work as a teacher with his courses.
He said, “One challenge I had faced while teaching at THHS was [dealing with] the obstacles of being a first-year math teacher at the school [while also] taking three graduate-level college classes in the fall and spring semesters… I had to create an effective time management system that allowed me to complete lesson planning, college assignments, and other work for students and staff members.”
In the past, Mr. Robinson taught math classes alongside teacher Jamie Posner. “I loved working with Mr. Robinson. He is truly a team player who collaborates well,” said Ms. Posner. “What makes [him] such a great teacher is his strong sense of compassion. He understands that education works differently for every student. He also really tries to get to know his students inside and outside of the classroom, and because of this, his lessons are student-centered to meet [their] needs and appeal to [their] personal interests.”
One of Mr. Robinson’s former students, junior Julia Parker, said, “He was a very welcoming and helpful teacher… He still says hello to me in the halls. In class, whenever I needed help, he was always there.”
“Mr. Robinson is an excellent teacher. He goes around the classroom and checks on students’ understanding of the lesson we’re learning,” said another one of his students, junior Nadia Afifa.
“Mr Robinson’s Algebra 2 class was my favorite class last year. He always made the environment feel warm and welcoming with his enthusiasm and fun jokes. I really enjoyed learning in his class,” said junior and Classic Managing Editor Toluwanimi Oyeleye.
“Math can sometimes be challenging for many students,” said Mr. Robinson. “I still remember the quote from one of my favorite math professors, Arkady Etkin, who said, ‘If you don’t love math, math will not love you back.’”
Mr. Robinson said, “I am looking forward to helping many future THHS students in mathematics as well as assisting them in the college process.”
