Hi, my name is Mr. Arnold. I teach Computer Skills and Math at Arlington Middle School. This is my third career.
Previously, I was an auto mechanic, and I also worked in an industrial laboratory developing combustion applications for industry (that means I made fires to put in furnaces where they make steel, glass, aluminum, and also where they burn hazardous waste to get rid of it). You'd be surprised how much math there is in making fires. It's very important that fuel and oxygen are controlled perfectly, or you can cause an explosion. We used a lot of computer controlled equipment to control fuel and oxygen flows, and also to run the ignition system (that makes the spark that lights the fire).
When I teach math I try to help my students understand that math may be hard to learn, but the reason we use it is to make our lives easier. If you don't know math, your life will be alot more difficult when you grow up. One of the most important lessons kids can learn is that everything they enjoy doing involves math, but a lot of times you don't notice that you're doing it.