Student writers Emilee Bowers and Jordana Pont sat down with math teacher Mr. Ramdeen to talk to him about what being a teacher is all about, and why he continues to pursue his passion for mathematics. Mr. Ramdeen currently teaches AP Statistics and AP Calculus BC, but truly loves all types of math and problem solving!

What inspired you to become a math teacher?

“When I was much younger and in school, I was always pretty good at math, and I used to help my friends with math by explaining it to them. Later on, once I was in college, I met this woman who told me she needed help teaching, so I went and helped her and I got a lot of compliments about how I taught. I really did enjoy the subject, and since I also enjoyed teaching I figured it was a good path for me. I was always interested in knowing why math works the way it does, why we are doing what we are doing, and I want others to share that same interest when sitting in my classroom.”

How would you describe your teaching style? 

“I think my teaching style is giving an introduction before a lesson. I try to give the students an idea of what they are going to learn to make sure they go in with some sort of an understanding. The main thing I try to focus on is teaching them how to understand why they are doing what they are doing, rather than recall a series of steps from memory. Without understanding the importance of each step and what comes out of it, the solution will not make as much sense.”

What is the most rewarding part of teaching AP Mathematics, whether it be Calculus or Statistics?

“The fact that I get to take students to a higher level of understanding and thinking that helps prepare them for college is really meaningful. Most schools do not have the classes we have at Boro, like AP or BCC, so our students are really very prepared for college-level classes, and knowing that I helped contribute to that is extremely rewarding.”

Are there any rules in your classroom?
“Nothing too crazy – just that you must learn math! I have the same general rules as most other teachers, but I like to think I am more relaxed than they are. I do not have the personality of a drill sergeant, and I like to blend humor into every lesson to keep the students engaged and interested. I like to have fun with them because I know it is helping to keep them interested in learning math!”

What’s your favorite way to unwind after a stressful day at Freehold High School? 

“I like to watch a game called cricket. I also like to play casino games on my phone like cards and other mindless things that I do not have to think too hard about. I also like to let my dog, Candy, run around in the backyard or take her for a walk.” 

If you could meet one celebrity, who would it be and why?

“Ramanujan. He was a very gifted mathematician who died at the young age of 32. What’s remarkable about him is that he truly loved math and that was all he wanted to do, so much so that he dropped out of college. At home, he developed higher-level mathematics that are still used to check computer calculations, like for Pi. I really admire the fact that he was able to contribute so much in such a short amount of time, and it’s crazy to think about the advances that would have been made had he lived longer. When others described him, he was an 11 on a scale from 1-10. Really smart guy.”