My name is James Pinato, and I am a mathematics & AVID elective educator.
I graduated in 2012 with a degree in pure mathematics, and like many, I did not know what I wanted to do. After a year of working in the international business sector, I began instructing mathematics at my local math learning center. I became a Master Center Director, continued instructing, and led our team for just under a decade.
Little did I know that this experience would be life-changing. I witnessed the students’ mental and emotional dispositions change toward mathematics as they understood it. This was fascinating and fulfilling. I could see this mindset overflow into other areas of life, and their lives improved as they reasoned through problems and made better life choices. I was passionate about training and empowering team members to multiply our efforts.
I realized these experiences culminated into a passion for empowering students through mathematics. I thought: if our work can do this for our students, how many other students can I reach? How can I empower any student?
Before becoming an educator,
I enrolled in a graduate program, and in January 2023, I attained my master’s degree and preliminary single-subject teaching credential.
In my practice, I want all students to become better thinkers. I strive to prove they can empower themselves through perseverance and understanding the problem-solving process. When students reach this pinnacle, they make informed, intelligent, and high-potential-ceiling choices that ultimately lead to a higher quality of life. Leading students to this state is integral to my profession as students prepare for and experience life’s challenges. As an emerging teacher leader, I collaborate with my colleagues to refine our practices, introduce new ideas while iterating old ones, and implement theory-backed practical solutions to effect positive change for our students.
