What makes a good teacher? A good teacher inspires students to learn and supports them with dedication and empathy. Oscar Andres Arboleda is one of those teachers who inspire students to love learning and never give up.
Arboleda teaches high school AP precalculus and financial math, and is currently considered one of the best teachers at TCS, not only by students but also by other teachers and members of the staff. After all, not only do his teaching techniques go above and beyond in the academic spectrum, but his caring personality and approachability also make him a teacher whom students are not afraid to consult.
“He teaches us to understand the topic, but also to make things easier and really like math, I guess. In a way, he has really helped me like math again because I hated math, but now I love it because of him, because he makes math easy in a way that makes you understand it, and when you understand math, you can actually do math.” Candelaria Gomez, senior, said.
Compared to other teachers at TCS, Arboleda sees education as something more than a job, but rather an opportunity, and this mentality makes him build stronger connections with students as he likes what he is doing and aims to transmit that love to those students.
“I enjoy teaching students to be good people, to always aim to help others, not just for personal growth, but as a life goal, for their families, for those around them. So they’re not just adapting to their environment but actually changing it,” Arboleda said.
In fact, Arboleda’s teaching method enhances this statement as he focuses on interacting with his students rather than just building monotonous lessons. He looks forward to students enjoying his class.
“Asking questions and building concepts together with students. The most important thing is for them to feel part of the learning process. I shouldn’t be the center—they should.” Arboleda said. “Yes—seeing a student smile when they learn something, when they enjoy the class, when they laugh, and when they know this is a safe space for them, a learning space where they can be themselves.”
This confidence and fondness for his community have seemingly earned Arboleda the respect of figures such as the high school principal, who views Arboleda as a pivot of the community.
“I think he really knows his subject well, but most importantly, he loves working with our students. And the students love him, love him back. He really cares. And he’s really one of those teachers who, like, he has high standards, but he’s really supportive of helping kids meet those standards. And he doesn’t give up on students,” Paul Navarra, TCS principal, said.
Furthermore, this respect between Arboleda and Navarra has also secured admiration from him and from many others at TCS, making him a valuable asset of the school’s community.
“I know sometimes I can become impatient with some students or some situations. When I see him practicing and working with kids, it reminds me of how important it is to be patient,” Navarra said. “He’s a team-first person. He’s not one of those people who’s like What about me? Or, you know, he’s always about how can I help the school grow? So I think that’s, he contributes very positively to the whole school community.”
Besides the principal, Arboleda also inspires a significant portion of the staff. In fact, one of those who has been motivated by Arboleda’s patience and teachings is the Learning Center’s math teacher, Alejandro Diaz.
“I believe Andrés is a great example of how emotional connection with a student is key to achieving good results with them,” Diaz said. “I believe Andrés is one of those teachers who understands that the greatest form of love is respect respecting each student for who they are, more than for what they know or the grades they achieve.”
In fact, Diaz emphasizes on Arboleda’s personality as a part of his teaching philosophy, thus making him such an effective teacher and an inspiration to both students and staff at TCS.
“I would say Andrés is someone capable of finding the right balance. He understands very well that in a classroom with students, things aren’t black and white but shades of gray. That is, where I must be firm but also loving, where I must teach things in the best way but also give students the opportunity and flexibility to be proactive when solving the situations presented in class according to their understanding.” Diaz said.
Despite all these praises, those who are truly motivated by Arboleda’s teaching style and personality are his students. After all, it is them who interact with Arboleda the most often due to their position as students.
“I think he’s a great teacher, especially because he has so much patience, because I know that teaching math is not a really easy thing to do, and I really appreciate his patience and his way of collaborating with us students,” Alina Restrepo, 10th-grade student, said. “He is very patient about it, and he taught us everything we needed to know, and he’s always willing to help.”
Certainly, this charm has gotten to many students who, despite being new at Arboleda’s class, have in him their best regards.
“I think Andy has touched a lot of students’ hearts in the past, and he will continue to do so in the future because of his great personality and just a great teacher he is overall,” Restrepo said.
Finally, it is substantial for those seniors who have studied with Arboleda since 10th grade to express their gratitude for those years of aid and for leaving such a mark as they come close to graduation.
“I think the lessons that I learned from Andy will impact my life after graduation because it will help me be a more patient person, which will make me a better leader, a better person to work with,” Gomez said, “if I could say something to Andy, I would tell him that I’m really grateful for all he has taught me, that thank you for being such an amazing teacher, always having such a positive attitude, and to keep on doing what he’s doing because he’s really good at it.”