On the Way to School with Julio Castro

Photo courtesy of badteacher.store

By B.A.D. TCHR

Instead of lamenting his two-hour bus/scooter commute from California's Santa Clarita Valley to YULA Boys High School in Los Angeles, math teacher Julio Castro considered it a time for "reflection and gratitude.”

He added, “I have my arms, my legs, my breath, the ability to communicate, and a beautiful family at home waiting for me to hug, kiss, and create dinner with; I was counting my blessings … what more could I ask for.”

Castro acquired international stardom when Yahoo! News and ABCs Nightline with David Muir broadcast a life-changing moment for the mathematician when his students, who knew of his lack of tag and title, gifted him with a fully equipped 2019 Mazda CX-3 to replace the bus/scooter shuttle. 

"I didn't know my students recognized my effort to get to work and that they cared as much as they did. What they did for me was very special and meant a lot. I had no idea it would become this big thing."

The story centered on his students’ generosity but also revealed a fascinating backstory that made the gift much more significant. He had opportunities to work closer to home, but his love for YULA trumped the distance. He has a burning desire to help his students discover that inner something, or someone, his manifestation of the Jewish proverb: "A table is not blessed if it has fed no scholars."

His classroom experiences have taught him empathy and creativity are the keys to entering his students' minds before he can teach any lesson.

"You realize they are like all of us. They are kind, and they love when you give them respect and hear them," Castro said, adding, "Being seen is as vital as being heard. The staff allows me to be myself, so I feel love and appreciation from my coworkers and students for the work I do, and because of that, I'm connected with them. I love it here."

Admittedly, adapting to how this new generation acquires knowledge takes time and effort. Still, for Castro, his students are much like the Soduku puzzles and algebraic expressions he unlocked and solved as a child. 

"Today's youth evolve much like modern medicine—ever-changing," he said. "I'm old school, and every year [we] get students experiencing the world differently, which is the most difficult thing about teaching."

So, Monday through Friday, he uses his whiteboard to share recipes and formulas to assist millennials in solving for "X.” 

Mindful that students come to class with baggage from their worlds, only sometimes present on their luggage tags, Castro shows up both BRILLIANT AND DEDICATED to meet their personal and academic needs.

And because he understands students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care, his math lessons land with ease.

"When I stop to listen to their concerns, they start caring, like, 'Let me hear what Mr. Castro has to say. Are we talking about probability today?'"

 "Probably," he quips.