Escalante to CMU: "Believe big"

by Jason Antoniewicz

Students packed Central Michigan University's Plachta Auditorium last Wednesday to hear a 77-year old retired math teacher speak.

Jaime Escalante, profiled in the movie "Stand and Deliver," is world renowned for his efforts in teaching inner-city kids higher-level math.

"I have dedicated my life to teaching and getting kids to push themselves," he said.

The Bolivia-born instructor shared words of encouragement with the audience, conveyed through arithmetic.

"Determination plus discipline plus hard work equals success," he said. "You will never get (success) if you wait for someone to hand it to you."

Escalante is also well known for his wit and humor, which was on display when a crying child disrupted the proceedings.

"That's part of the speech," he quipped.

Among the laughs, Escalante gave his philosophy on teaching, gained from years spent in the classroom.

"The school alone can't educate," he said. "You need the help of the parents. Parents are the first teachers of children."

At Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, Escalante would call his students' parents personally to get their cooperation in teaching them math.

"When I went to Garfield High, the kids were not interested in mathematics," he said. "They were not interested in learning. The system had given up on these kids."

Escalante, though, always had hope.

"I don't believe in placement tests," he said. "I don't believe in 'gifteds.' I just need to know how many kids I have."

The 1988 movie "Stand and Deliver" depicted a lot of the unique ways Escalante got through to his pupils.

"Mathematics is easy," he said. "Don't let the word algebra intimidate you. Just pay attention, that's all you have to do. All you need are five fingers."

Clad in a jacket and hat one might recognize from the film, Escalante proceeded to demonstrate a quick way to do multiplication using only his fingers.

Escalante also told of a class where he used a machete and apples to demonstrate fractions - and get their attention.

"You don't get this one, you're going to be beheaded," he joked.

Escalante was the keynote speaker for CMU's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, and drew a crowd of over 800 to the auditorium.