April is here, and so is another Teacher of the Month! We’re proud to dedicate this month’s award to Matthew Lacques of the Woodside Learning Center in San Francisco. Mr. Lacques teaches math for grades 9 through 12 and is well-known among his peers for his devotion to students, making sure each one of them gets the attention they need and deserve.
Nominators say that he puts his heart into his work, going the extra mile each week to prepare interesting lessons to engage his class. In another occasion, a colleague witnessed Mr. Lacques playing the guitar and singing with the students to alleviate their stress and anxiety around learning. His respect and commitment for students, no matter their history, inspires co-workers and friends alike as one person noted: “Matthew works with students who often do not see themselves as students when they enter our school. He finds ways to re-engage them.”
Matthew shows up every day with his A-game, according to another of his nominators’ observations. He patiently meets students where they’re at, finding innovative ways to connect with them by creating relevant material and being mindful of their varied needs.
This month, he helped establish an exhibit at the school comprised of artwork and writing by prisoners. And he is including these art pieces in his lessons to discuss the prison-industrial complex as a whole. “Matthew is committed to social justice and goes above and beyond to create engaging learning experiences for the students,” said one of his colleagues.
Mr. Lacques, whether you are “bringing youth to life” by singing with them or engaging in a cross-disciplinary collaboration to make learning fun, we admire you! Your faith in your students and your dedication to their learning is truly inspiring. Congratulations! It is a pleasure to call you our April Teacher of the Month!
Read more about our Teacher of the Month program, and how to nominate a special teacher in your life.