The weekly TGCvocations column asks practitioners about their jobs and how they integrate their faith and work. Interviews are conducted and condensed by Bethany L. Jenkins, director of TGC’s Every Square Inch.
Ricardo Estrada teaches math—advanced algebra, trigonometry, and geometry—at High School of Sports Management in Brooklyn. It’s one of more than 1,700 schools in the New York City public school system, and most of his students qualify for the free or reduced lunch program.
How did you become a math teacher?
When I was growing up, I always thought I’d end up being a math teacher because I was good at math and enjoyed teaching. In college, though, I majored in finance because I knew that, if I wanted to teach, I could do the NYC Teaching Fellows Program, which equips college graduates who didn’t major in education with teaching certification and graduate study. I ended up doing the program and staying in New York City to teach because I wanted to serve these kids. I’m now in my sixth year with the same high school, which is really rare.
Why do you think you’ve been able to last that long?
As I’ve been maturing spiritually, I’ve come to increasingly love Philippians 2, which tells us that Christ became uncomfortable so that we could become comfortable. For me, the gospel empowers me to get out of my comfort zone so that I can reach these kids where they are. For example, I recently started doing “Flip Classroom,” where the students watch my lectures online at home and then come to class to do their work and dig deeper into the topics. This process is really out of my comfort zone, but I know it’s helping them.
What’s the biggest challenge of your work?
The students. The staff turnover rate is really high because they can speak inappropriately and be disrespectful. But we have to find ways to reach these kids in the culture they’re imbedded in. We can’t hold grudges when they treat us badly; we have to forgive them. Even if they’ve disrespected us one day, we have to teach them the next day. For me, knowing that, in Christ, I’m a forgiven sinner really empowers me to be full of grace for them. It makes a huge difference in how I approach my work.
At the end of the day, how do you know whether you’ve been successful at your job?
I can assess whether my teaching has been effective on a daily basis by looking at my students’ exit slips and seeing how they’re thinking about certain problems. Also, I’m really happy when my students pass state exams, especially since many of them probably wouldn’t pass without good teaching. I’ve also built strong relationships with some students. One time, a student and I were talking about Tim Tebow, and he said, “You know he’s a Christian, right?” After we discovered that both of us were Christians, we started meeting weekly to read Romans. He’s now thinking about college.
What is your biggest joy in teaching?
My biggest joy is knowing that I’m in the middle of where I want to be and that I’m making a difference. I’m happy that I get to be an instrument that God uses to get these kids to learn and grow. Although I don’t get to say, “Hey, I’m a Christian,” in the classroom, kids often see that my faith is important to me when they look me up on Facebook or get to know me. I get to be a living testimony in their lives—serving them, teaching them, and supporting them.
Is there enough evidence for us to believe the Gospels?
In an age of faith deconstruction and skepticism about the Bible’s authority, it’s common to hear claims that the Gospels are unreliable propaganda. And if the Gospels are shown to be historically unreliable, the whole foundation of Christianity begins to crumble.
