Spotlight 4 Success

A Math Mission

• American Book Company • Season 1

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Join us for an inspiring conversation with J.R. Reid, a dynamic sixth-grade mathematics teacher and entrepreneur from Chester Middle School. J.R. returns to his Chester County roots, driven by a mission to uplift the community that shaped him. Discover how his own educational journey has fueled a passion for teaching and compelled him to become a beacon of guidance for students seeking positive pathways. J.R.’s candid reflections on classroom management and creating an engaging learning environment reveal the heart of his teaching philosophy.

Devin Pintozzi:

Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book Company. We are here at the South Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics, here with JR of Chester Middle School Welcome JR.

J.R. Reid:

Yes, sir, thank you for having me

Devin Pintozzi:

Wonderful. Thank you. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what brings you to the South Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

J.R. Reid:

Yeah again, my name is JR, last name Reed. I am a teacher at Chester Middle School. I teach sixth grade mathematics and I'm also a business owner. I have my own tutoring and after-school program right in Chester County, so I'm glad to be here. I was asked to come on behalf of my district, so I'm here representing Chester County and getting everything I can so I can bring it back to the district.

Devin Pintozzi:

Wow and can you tell us about your experience as a student and what brought you into the Chester school system?

J.R. Reid:

Definitely. I'm actually a product of Chester County. I went to Chester Park School of the Arts, chester Middle School and Chester High School and I actually wanted to come back to Chester in order to give back to the community that gave to me.

Devin Pintozzi:

That is wonderful. Was there a special moment or something that made you say, yes, this is what I want to do? I want to come back into the community and this is what I'm hoping to bring back to Chester.

J.R. Reid:

Definitely, chester is a much-needed area, especially for teachers that look like myself. We have a lot of people that go in the wrong path in our community, so it was important for me to come back and pour and instill into the youth of our city what would need to be happening so that they can go back and go into a more positive role instead of going to the same things that we're seeing in the trends in non-society.

Devin Pintozzi:

That is so wonderful. So what universities did you go to?

J.R. Reid:

I actually have my associate's degree from York Technical College, my bachelor's of science and educational studies from Winthrop University, and I also stayed at Winthrop to get my MAT my Master of Art in Teaching and Middle-Level Math, and I'm currently pursuing my EdD my doctor in Educational Leadership from Liberty University.

Devin Pintozzi:

Holy smokes, that is a lot of education. Yes, sir, that is great. So in the math field, we'll talk to that first. So what things have you learned in your university experience that you're hoping to apply in your classroom?

J.R. Reid:

So from the university we had a. Winthrop is a well-known school for education. They have a great education program. I could call out a lot of my professors by name, but the classroom management piece was something that they really stuck on at Winthrop so that we knew how to adequately manage a classroom to where the learning happened and fun could happen at the same time, to where students were always actively engaged.

Devin Pintozzi:

Gosh, that is wonderful and tell us a little bit about so. Now you have a tutoring company. How did that happen?

J.R. Reid:

So I love teaching so much and I saw that there was such a need for math in the community because math scores are low across the state. So I actually started the business. That was just starting off as a tutoring business focusing solely on mathematics, but then we added on extra pieces to it because we saw that there were a lot of students who needed more additional help. So we just started adding on pieces gradually to where we could help more students in different areas.

Devin Pintozzi:

That's wonderful. And, JR, what is the name of your tutoring company?

J.R. Reid:

Actually, we have the Reed Institute where we have Reed's tutoring and we have a try after school program. Wow, and what is the website? It's reedtutoring. com. That's what the tutoring website is.

Devin Pintozzi:

Wonderful. That is great. And you're doing such great work out there. That is fantastic. Anything else you'd like to share with the SCCTM community?

J.R. Reid:

Well, scctm. I'm actually an ambassador for the program or the organization now, so I'll be inducted today as an ambassador,

Devin Pintozzi:

Congratulations.

J.R. Reid:

but I strongly encourage yes, I appreciate it. I strongly encourage anyone that teaches mathematics in South Carolina to join SCCTM, because it has many resources and very great benefits.

Devin Pintozzi:

Wonderful Well, thank you. I hope you have a lot of success here at the conference and I wish you all the success as well in your tutoring company.

J.R. Reid:

Yes, sir, thank you so much,

Devin Pintozzi:

Thank you.