By Vikrant Sabharwal
Mr. James Quarrington is the new teacher of mathematics at BISB. He grew up in England and attended Durham University for his undergraduate before receiving his Masters in Education at the University of Cambridge. He has been teaching math for the last 8 years.
Unfortunately due to travel issues, he was not able to come to Boston at the start of the year and spent this year's first term teaching his students virtually. However, he successfully arrived in Boston in January and has loved his time here so far.
We sat down with him to learn more about him.
How have you found your first few days at BISB?
Welcoming and enjoyable. [After] working online for the last few months, meeting my classes in person has been fantastic. It has been very cold though, something that I am not very used to!
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I've always had a love for Mathematics. I started off in education by tutoring my family friends over 15 years ago. Before joining BISB I taught at the British International School in Vietnam. Outside of the classroom I enjoy traveling, skiing, scuba diving, and eating!
When did you first become interested in mathematics?
I loved mathematics throughout my time at school. I had an interest in applying maths to real-life scenarios and I was especially fascinated by mechanics - I enjoyed building Mathematical models that could be used to represent real-life phenomena. I built models that could represent the interactions of predator-prey cycles, motion in curved space-time, and the growth of viruses in the real world.
My love for maths took off, even more, when I was about fifteen years old. I had a really good teacher that solidified my admiration for the subject, which I carried to university, studying fascinating topics such as the formidable capabilities of black holes and the space-time continuum.
What attracted you to teaching?
I've always known I wanted to pursue a career that involved helping people. I really enjoy the interactive part of being in a classroom every day. Going through all the limitations of teaching online for the past 6 months has made me appreciate that part of my job even more.
What are some practical or academic applications of Maths that you regard as especially important or exciting?
A good understanding of Mathematics is so important for later life. I think that one of the most important things I can teach is a basic understanding of financial literacy. Understanding topics like compound interest, loans, mortgages, and even taxes are really important for everyone!
What would you say to anybody who is considering teaching as a career path?
In my career, one of the greatest things about teaching has been the ability to guide students whilst relating to them on a personal, human level. I like making my students smile and I feel that teaching is a vocation that lets you make a tangible difference, as it is one of those jobs that really does have a lasting legacy. Students will apply the knowledge they've accumulated in class throughout their lives and you’ll always be remembered for the lessons you've taught them. If you want to make a positive impact in the world, teaching is definitely a great career.
What are some of your goals, looking into the future with BISB?
I hope to become more involved in the extracurricular opportunities that BISB offers. In Vietnam, I ran several international trips, so I would love to help with trips when they start up again here!
We thank Mr. Quarrington for speaking with us and we wish him the best of luck in teaching math at BISB.