Article written by Elizabeth Finnegan, Professor of Education. Please check out the Spring 2024 School of Education newsletter here.
What do you think when you see the word M.A.T.H.? Did you know the letters in Math form an acronym for “Mistakes Allow Thinking to Happen?” Andrew Costa (BS. Mathematics and Adolescent Education ‘16, MSEd. Special Education, ‘19) likes to consider this when thinking about his own professional development. Currently an 8th-grade math and algebra teacher at Monroe-Woodbury Middle School, Andrew has been continuously learning throughout his career.
After graduating, Andrew secured a job at Mt. Vernon Performing and Magnet Arts School, where he had to learn how to be a teacher, “There are so many things you have to learn: how to navigate students’ IEPs and 504 plans, classroom management…” He then honed his skills at Pomona Middle School, “Teaching is an art that takes a lot of heart,” he explained. Like his students, Andrew knew he would make mistakes in his early years of teaching, but he learned from those mistakes and became a better teacher. Andrew was inspired to become a teacher when he was a middle school student. His teacher, Giulia Duitz, explained mathematical concepts in a way that students could understand, and he wanted to do the same for others “Ms. Duitz was funny and enthusiastic. She knew how to make connections with her students.” Andrew says the courses he took at St. Thomas Aquinas prepared him for his first job. He especially liked how his professors gave many examples of different scenarios preservice teachers might encounter in their own classrooms. Andrew has particularly fond memories of Dr. Mary Ellen Ferraro, a Mathematics Professor who guided him when he felt overwhelmed with the balance between work and study.
At Monroe-Woodbury, Andrew works with many students learning English as a new language. Many of the students are from countries like Guatemala and Venezuela. Even in Math, Andrew finds his students go through a quiet period of 3-6 months when they first come to the United States. Many of his students have experienced interruptions in their education and may perform at a different level than their peers. Andrew emphasizes that it is essential to “show students that you believe they can do it. They will respond by putting in effort.” Andrew and his students use technology like Google Translate and calculators to support learning. Andrew also believes in the importance of making connections with his students. “The personal touch a teacher brings can make a world of difference to a student’s success.”
During his free time, Andrew likes to play the piano and travel to lesser-known places in the United States, like the Strasburg Railroad. Andrew stresses the importance of being yourself in the classroom. He describes himself as “quirky.” He shares this side of himself by buying figurines of Baby Yoda, which his middle school students love to hide around the classroom.