'Teacher of the Year' Inspires Students

For algebra teachers like 's Zachary Weiss, one of the most difficult questions they confront has little to do with calculations or equations.

Rather, it's a direct one, frequently posed by students that cuts straight to the heart of their profession.

"Why do we need to know this?"

In his nearly 12 years as a teacher at Luther Burbank, Weiss, 35, has developed an answer to that question that has not only inspired his students to achieve impressive academic gains, it has also earned him the distinction as one of Los  Angeles County's 16 best teachers.

"I tell my students that algebra teaches them valuable lessons about patience, persistence, hard work and dedication," said Weiss, who currently teaches algebra to eight graders at Luther Burbank. "Algebra teaches students that if they put in the time, they can really learn anything."

For Weiss, teaching algebra is the art of inspiring to students to believe in the power of work.

"My philosophy is that everyone is good at math. It's just a matter of asking yourself if you're willing to put in the hard work," he said. "It's about taking that extra 10 to 15 minutes of letting yourself struggle. In order to gain experience you have to practice, and that means you've got to do homework. After a while, though, you'll become confident. You start feeling like there's nothing you can't do."

The numbers bear witness to Weiss' methods. Between 2010 and 2011, the number of eighth grade students scoring advanced on the algebra portion of the California Standards Test increased by 16 percentage points to 25-percent. Concurrently, the number of students scoring in the far below basic range also dropped, from 16-percent to 8-percent.

"It's incredible, what he's been able to get students in his classroom to produce," said Luther Burbank Principal Arturo Valdez. "He creates a sense of personalized instruction and a sense of personal responsibility that's contagious across the entire school"

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin who initially came to Los Angeles to work in the film industry, Weiss credits his development to mentors like Valdez, Michael Davoudian, Jack Leonard, Omar del Cueto, and Delores Paxton, many of whom coached him during his days as a rookie.

"When I walked into Burbank 12 years ago, I was lucky to have some of the best mentors," Weiss said. "Walking into their classrooms and seeing how well they were doing helped me to close a gap between where I was at the time, and where I wanted to be."

According to the Los Angeles Times Blog, Weiss was one of 69 teachers entered in the competition, all of whom were selected as the top teacher in their respective districts.

Weiss is also quick to point out that he hopes his distinction as one of L.A. County's best teachers ultimately serves as a reflection on the work of his students, who were willing to buy into his belief in the power of work.

"I'm incredibly honored and very humbled, because they are so many people who deserve this," he said. "I feel incredibly lucky to have had mentors who have brought me along in life, and to have students that really listened and did the work. I'm sharing this honor with them."