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When seventh-grade math teacher Joel DeLeon Jr. started teaching at Pilgrim Academy six years ago, he realized he would have to work hard to earn student’s trust and respect before he could ask anything of them in the classroom.
One of the biggest things for him as a teacher is to act as a facilitator in the learning process. Students, he said, will be much less hesitant to be open and honest about the areas they’re struggling with if they know their teacher can be trusted and cares about them and their academic growth.
“What I’ve come to learn along the way is that a student will not want to work for many reasons … fear of failure, lack of confidence, dislike for the content, not knowing who you are, etc.,” DeLeon told the Houston Daily. “The first step for me has always been to find that reason, and then work on that. If a student is struggling it’s usually an emotional struggle first, and without that being solved, it’s very difficult to ask them to solve anything for you.”
DeLeon became an educator after learning how much he truly enjoyed helping people come to understand concepts. Since then, he realized he had found a passion in nurturing students’ growth and sharing a love of learning with them, even through the challenges presented from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s been a very difficult year on us as teachers to close the gap for something that was out of our control, but we’re doing all we can to help our students grow,” DeLeon said.
One particular group of students, DeLeon’s seventh-grade math class that graduated onto high school this past June, got cut short and were never all together in-person before moving onto their next chapter.
“This group had a special place in my heart because we all shared the same fears, anxiety and uncertainty for what was happening," DeLeon said. "They saw my struggles in adjusting to teaching virtually, and I saw theirs in being able to find a corner in their home or apartment where they could find a quiet spot to learn."
Since then, DeLeon has begun tutoring students earlier than ever before and started a YouTube channel during the pandemic to upload lessons for students to watch and replay. The school has also begun offering math and reading enrichment courses to help students who fell behind a bit more than others, he said, stating he’s had the honor of working alongside some of the most caring, hardworking teachers and staff.
“Before making significant academic progress, students are still taking time to adjust to the routine of school and learning to be around others again. I think it’s going to take some more time before they really start to settle in so that we can make some real strides in academic progress in the classroom,” DeLeon said.
As the school moves forward, the community has been a huge help in supporting its growth. The Unity of Houston, he said, has been a blessing over the years, holding toy and school supply drives for teachers and students in times of need.
Pilgrim Academy was built in 1957 and is named after Thomas Judson Pilgrim. Though it was originally known as Pilgrim Elementary School, the name was changed to its current name in 2007.
According to the school website, the school serves students from grades K-8, with a mission to provide a safe, creative and empowering learning environment that allows all students to achieve academic success.