Dakota Ridge High School has quite a few new teachers this year. One is Jonathan Prato, a math teacher from Summit Ridge Middle School. He had been a middle school teacher his entire teaching career until just this year, and he’s been teaching since 2013. According to Prato, he needed a change of pace. He had worked many jobs before becoming a teacher.
“I was once a ticket scalper, ski bum, auditor, waiter, emergency room registrar, and I still fill-in time to time at a coffee shop,” Prato said. “I also used to ski/snowboard before becoming a teacher. Darn you, I-70!”
Prato wants to help kids learn math by teaching them that mistakes are okay, and practicing will help them learn faster. This year, Prato will be teaching a new math program called Illustrative Math, This program is designed to energize classrooms in the belief that all students are capable of learning grade-level mathematics. Prato says his classroom is a safe place to share ideas, whether right or wrong, and keeps it positive and fun as long as work is getting done. His role as a laid-back teacher may differ from being strict when he needs to be. Prato says he can play all roles to some degree.
“I’m a caffeinated labrador retriever. Playful, helpful, and ornery,” Prato said.
Teaching math was the “logical” step in Prato’s life, as math was the subject he liked best in school. He said he followed in the footsteps of his mother who was a middle school math teacher her entire career.
“Nothing compares to the feeling you get when you see students succeed, ” Prato said. “There are so many personalities that live in a school, and… I really enjoy getting to know people…as long as they are kind. Again, I’m a labrador retriever.”
