New Faculty Profile: Mr. Nkosi Alexander
mena alchi | sept. 7 2023 | features
Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, Stanton College Preparatory School welcomes Mr. Nkosi Alexander, whose goal is to educate and inspire his students to reach their full potential in both Algebra II Honors and Advanced Placement Calculus AB. Mr. Alexander aims to intellectually challenge his students within the classroom, preparing them for future careers and academic pursuits. He is optimistic about the years to come, encouraging students to embrace their mistakes, ask questions, participate in class, and pursue their passions.
“I am working with students who are clearly motivated about the material,” said Mr. Alexander. “I also appreciate the high level of mathematics Stanton offers.”
Mr. Alexander earned a master’s degree from the University of North Florida while also serving as a teaching assistant on the campus. He organized weekly study sessions for students who faced challenges with the material taught by their professors. Mr. Alexander relates his years as a teaching assistant to the role he plays in educating the young, bright minds of Stanton. Ensuring students comprehend the material is always his top priority, but he also enjoys seeing the students immersed in his lectures and excited for math class.
“I really appreciate how the students at Stanton have such a love for learning,” said Mr. Alexander. “Every class, I’ll have students get really excited about the material and if they are overexcited, it is for a good reason.”
As Stanton students may experience a love-hate relationship with math, Mr. Alexander is determined to change that. Over the years, students have expressed frustration about not grasping concepts as quickly as their peers. Mr. Alexander has addressed how his teaching strengths revolve around establishing strong relationships with his students.
“I think my biggest way of supporting student growth and development is making sure the students do not feel discouraged,” said Mr. Alexander. “I told them I never get aggravated when they ask questions, in fact, I told them I love questions because it shows they are engaged.”
Stanton teachers recognize students’ progress at different paces, and some are more than capable of adjusting their lesson plans to confront these issues and accommodate students’ needs. Mr. Alexander believes bombarding students with a handful of packets and study guides may not always be the wisest approach; therefore, he prefers to listen to and exchange personal resources with his students.
“For lesson planning, I want to make sure that whatever objective or essential questions I write are clearly defined and make sense to the students,” said Mr. Alexander. “When lesson planning, I like to make sure I am going at a steady pace and [not] throwing a bunch of information at them.”
Much like Mr. Alexander, numerous Stanton teachers share the common goal of fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where students feel valued and respected. They aspire to enliven the students’ understanding of their subjects between the beginning and end of the school year. Mr. Alexander ensures he never overworks the students, as it could be detrimental to the learning process.
“The goal for my students is for them to try their very hardest to have fun learning the material and for them to enjoy school,” said Mr. Alexander. “Building a stress-free environment for the classroom and making people excited about math gets me excited to teach.”
To create an enjoyable and effective learning experience, Mr. Alexander focuses on employing a range of teaching methods. Whether it be group discussions, hands-on activities, or multimedia presentations, he remains committed to transforming the challenges students face with math into something beneficial for their everyday lives. Mr. Alexander’s goal is to develop well-rounded students, fostering their critical thinking, creativity, and leadership skills.