“Seeing the Light Bulb Glow”: Mr. Lu, an Educator and Gamer

Why do you teach your subject?

What a good question. Most students would agree that in my course [Algebra 2], I value the concept more than the rote memorization. It is way more fascinating to understand why something works as opposed to “this is how you do it.” Whether it is a graphical interpretation or an algebraic demonstration of solutions and making sense of it, I feel accomplished when students are understanding the point, rather than just memorizing formulas.

Have you always wanted to be a teacher, and if not, what did you do before?

I did not dream of becoming a teacher. When I was in college, I had to juggle academic life and work in order to support my family, as my dad passed when I was a senior in high school. My entire life changed, so instead of selecting a SUNY and going into debt, I decided to attend a CUNY—it was free, and I worked part-time as a tutor for an after-school program. It was through tutoring where I realized I had a knack for explaining concepts to students. I was initially a homework helper and eventually moved to also doing test prep. Since I knew the exam [for my math classes] and content, it was easy for me to explain strategies such as time management and efficient problem solving to get a solution without doing too much work—I always hated doing things the “long way.” I believe that sense of joy of altering a young individual’s path made me want to teach. Of course, it is very different, but at the same time, the feeling of your students learning from you and seeing that light bulb glow on their faces—that feeling never gets old.

What do you do for fun (hobbies, etc.)? 

Sometimes after school, I relax and watch the students on the handball team practice. I often give them some pointers, and the girls’ team looks pretty strong this year. The boys’ team needs a bit of work, but I believe that with practice and consistency, they will get there. It’s very nostalgic seeing them play, because I used to play a lot during my high school and college days. However, I do not play as much anymore, as I dedicate my time to making lesson plans and writing recommendations for the summer. Other things that I like to do when I get home on Friday are to play video games such as TFT/ARAM (League) and occasionally Valorant (I am bad at [Valorant] though, so it stresses me out even more).

Would you consider yourself a night owl or an early bird?

Those who know me know that I sleep very late and wake up very early. So which one am I?

What is your favorite movie of all time? Favorite book? 

For my favorite movie, I would say John Wick. The first one is by far the best. I don’t read, but I am planning to start this year (maybe). 

If you could be any number or math concept, which one would it be and why? 

The golden ratio, because it is so aesthetically pleasing.

If you were granted three wishes by a genie, what would they be? 

The first would be teleportation, so I don’t need to take the MTA. The ability to freeze time, so I can doom-scroll without worrying about the time. Lastly, I would wish to free the genie. 

What would you do if it were your last day on Earth?

I’d probably be on a plane, because I have never been on a plane before.

What is your craziest/most bizarre interaction with a student?

Every day is something different. Whether it be a fun discussion or arguments about math, it can get exciting and sometimes a little crazy with the things they say. For example, we just started talking about arithmetic sequences [in Algebra 2]. A student asked, “How do you know it’s not geometric?” Another kid called out, “Just look at it.” I just started laughing.

If you weren’t teaching math, what subject would you teach?

History. Honestly, I’m not too sure because I have never really thought about it.

Why did you choose to teach at Stuyvesant? What is your favorite part about the school? Least favorite? 

This is another good question. For the glory. I’m just kidding! Stuyvesant was the first school I ever worked for. When I first got hired, I was a temporary replacement for a teacher on maternity leave. You could only imagine the imposter syndrome that I had my first year. Thankfully, my students were supportive, even though I made a lot of mistakes. My colleagues were very helpful and supportive. Whenever I had questions, they would offer support, and they were willing to share their lessons with me. This way, I could understand the big ideas being portrayed. Every teacher in Stuyvesant is outstanding, and I could learn a lot from them.