Jaime Escalante facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jaime Escalante
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Jaime Escalante in 1983
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| Born | December 31, 1930 |
| Died | March 30, 2010 (aged 79) Roseville, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Rose Hills Memorial Park |
| Spouse(s) | Fabiola Tapia |
| Children | 2 |
Jaime Alfonso Escalante Gutiérrez (December 31, 1930 – March 30, 2010) was an inspiring Bolivian-American teacher. He became famous for teaching calculus to high school students. Calculus is an advanced type of math. From 1974 to 1991, he taught at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles.
Escalante believed that all students could learn advanced math. His amazing story inspired the 1988 film Stand and Deliver. In the movie, actor Edward James Olmos played him. In 1993, an asteroid was named 5095 Escalante in his honor.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Jaime Escalante was born in 1930 in La Paz, Bolivia. Both of his parents were teachers. This likely inspired his own career path. He was also proud of his Aymara heritage.
Before moving to the United States, Escalante taught math and physics for 12 years in Bolivia. When he immigrated, he worked many different jobs. He also taught himself English and earned another college degree. Eventually, he returned to the classroom as an educator.
Starting at Garfield High School
In 1974, Escalante began teaching at Garfield High School. At first, he was disappointed by how unprepared some students seemed. He even thought about quitting and going back to his old job. However, he changed his mind when 12 students wanted to take an algebra class.
Soon after Escalante arrived, the school's reputation was at risk. Instead of focusing only on struggling students, Escalante decided to offer AP Calculus. This is a college-level math course. Some school leaders didn't like his methods. He believed in making students work hard from the start.
Inspiring Students to Learn
Escalante was determined to make a difference. He convinced students that education could change their futures. He promised them good jobs in fields like engineering and computers if they learned math. He told them, "I'll teach you math and that's your language. With that, you're going to make it."
In his early years, some school administrators often disagreed with Escalante. He was even threatened with being fired. This was because he worked long hours and raised money for student tests without permission. Things changed when Henry Gradillas became the new principal.
Principal Gradillas supported Escalante. He also improved the school's academic programs. He reduced basic math classes and required algebra for more students. Students who didn't keep a "C" average couldn't join extracurricular activities. One student famously said, "If he wants to teach us that bad, we can learn."
Growth of the Calculus Program
Escalante taught his first calculus class in 1978. He worked with another teacher, Ben Jiménez. Five students took the class, and two passed the AP calculus test. The next year, seven out of nine students passed. By 1981, 14 out of 15 students passed. Escalante pushed his students to work hard and succeed.
National Recognition
In 1982, Escalante and his students gained national attention. 18 of his students passed the Advanced Placement Calculus exam. The testing service noticed something unusual. All 18 students made the same mistake on one problem. They also used the same unique variable names.
Because of this, 14 students were asked to retake the exam. 12 of them agreed. All 12 students passed the test again, proving their knowledge.
The program continued to grow. In 1983, 30 out of 33 students passed the exam. Escalante also started teaching calculus at East Los Angeles College that year. By 1987, 83 students passed the AB version of the exam, and 12 passed the BC version. This was the program's peak.
The Film and Its Impact
In 1988, a book and the film Stand and Deliver were released. They told the story of Escalante's students in 1982. Teachers and others visited his classes to learn from him. He shared his secret: "hard work for teacher and student alike."
Escalante met important people, including President Ronald Reagan and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 1990, he helped create the video series Futures. This series won a Peabody Award.
Escalante said the film Stand and Deliver was "90% truth, 10% drama." He noted a few differences:
- It took him several years to achieve the success shown in the movie.
- Students who didn't know basic math didn't learn calculus in just one year.
- He suffered from a gallbladder issue, not a heart attack, as shown in the film.
Challenges and Later Years
In his final years at Garfield, Escalante faced some difficulties. He received negative messages and lost his leadership role in the math department. His program grew to over 400 students. Some classes had more than 50 students. This was more than the teachers' union allowed, leading to criticism.
In 1991, Escalante and Ben Jiménez left Garfield High School. They cited disagreements and challenges within the faculty. Escalante then taught at Hiram W. Johnson High School in Sacramento, California. At its best, Escalante's program sent many Garfield graduates to the University of Southern California. They even outnumbered students from other local high schools. Many students who didn't pass the AP exam still went on to study at California State University, Los Angeles.
After Escalante left, Angelo Villavicencio, another dedicated teacher, took over the program. However, the number of students passing AP calculus exams at Garfield dropped significantly in just a few years.
Life After Garfield
In the mid-1990s, Escalante supported efforts for English-only education. In 1997, he joined an initiative that changed how bilingual education was offered in California schools.
In 2001, after many years of teaching, Escalante returned to his home country, Bolivia. He lived in Cochabamba, his wife's hometown, and taught at a university there. He often visited his children in the United States.
In early 2010, Escalante traveled to the United States for treatment for bladder cancer. He faced financial challenges due to medical costs. The cast members from Stand and Deliver and his former students helped raise money for his treatment.
Death and Lasting Legacy
Jaime Escalante passed away on March 30, 2010, at his son's home. He was 79 years old.
On April 1, 2010, a memorial service was held at Garfield High School to honor him. Students observed a moment of silence. Another gathering was held later in a classroom at Garfield.
Escalante is buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier. In 2016, the United States Postal Service released a special stamp featuring his image. This stamp honored his work in helping students master calculus.
Awards and Honors
- 1988 – Presidential Medal for Excellence in Education, from President Ronald Reagan
- 1988 – Hispanic Heritage Award Honoree
- 1990 – Honorary Doctor of Humanities – California State University, Los Angeles
- 1990 – Honorary Doctor of Laws – Concordia University, Montreal
- 1990 – Honorary Doctor of Laws – University of Northern Colorado
- 1990 – Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, from Jefferson Awards
- 1991 – Honorary Doctor of Science – University of Massachusetts Boston
- 1998 – Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters – Wittenberg University
- 1998 – Free Spirit Award, from the Freedom Forum
- 1998 – Andrés Bello prize, from the Organization of American States
- 1999 – Inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame
- 2002 – Member, President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans
- 2005 – The Highest Office Award – Center for Youth Citizenship
- 2005 – Best teacher in North America – Freedom Forum
- 2014 – Foundational Award Winner, given posthumously to Fabiola Escalante (with Henry Gradillas and Angelo Villavicencio) – Escalante–Gradillas Best in Education Prize
- 2016 – The United States Postal Service issued a 1st Class Forever "Jaime Escalante" stamp. It honored him for inspiring high school students to master calculus.
See also
In Spanish: Jaime Escalante para niños
- John Saxon (educator) - another teacher known for helping students learn math.
- List of teachers portrayed in films
