Many students might think math teachers are boring, but not Kevin DeSalvo, who’s not your ordinary teacher. Instead of making math class feel dull and worn out, he puts in the effort to create a fun space so students can pay attention. He shows enthusiasm and motivates students to try their best in his class.
When asking for the answers to the questions, all the students’ hands seemed to be up and ready to answer (which is rare to see in a math class), and whenever you answered the question correctly he rewarded you with candy. Not only does he teach math but he’s also the coach of NAHS Esports, but as his second time teaching at Norristown Area High School, he seems to be doing a great job.
Desalvo spent his college years at Penn State University and University Park from 2018-2022. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Middle School Mathematics. He has also gotten certifications to teach 4th-8th grade math and 7th-12th grade math. DeSalvo knew he wanted to become a math teacher since 9th grade.
“My 9th-grade Geometry teacher was the one who cemented the idea of becoming a teacher. Specifically, mathematics because it was the subject I enjoyed the most.” DeSalvo stated. He didn’t have many friends in middle school so he mostly relied on older adults and having that comfort around him and being able to talk to his teacher he wanted to have that structure with other students as well. He loved math so much that he took classes like Geometry, Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, AP Calculus, and AP Statistics.
“Teaching my first year has been amazing,” DeSalvo said last year. “Experiencing different cultures and environments as well as having complete control of my classroom has been a great learning experience for a first-year teacher.”
Although not all good things start easy. He did have some trouble starting off the 2023 year. “Last year I didn’t start the first day, I started four days into the school. I didn’t have the proper clearances ready because they didn’t tell me I needed them updated and I didn’t get in until that first Thursday.”
There were some tough days where some lessons wouldn’t wrap around students’ heads and other days where their participation was lacking. In spite of those struggles, he seemed to enjoy his first year and has grown exponentially with this experience.
The difference between his first year and this year is feeling more comfortable in the environment seeing his former students throughout the day just popping by and saying hi. He said it’s good to have that connection with people in the building. He is also more comfortable working in the building because he now knows where he’s going and doesn’t get lost.
Before working at NAHS DeSavo applied to multiple jobs but mostly focused on family and working around the house. He worked at Unami Middle School in his hometown for one marking period for a teacher on maternity leave.
One thing he found inspiring about the other high school class was that those students already had their lives planned out. They had the colleges in mind and were set on their decisions. “These kids had dreams and aspirations like you couldn’t believe,” DeSalvo said of his students at Unami.
DeSalvo made a name for himself last year by giving out snacks. What separates him from other math teachers is that he spends his hard-earned money on snacks for his students. He said that during the fall semester of 2023, students seemed to struggle in math, students would even ask him when will they ever use this in the real world.
“I chose to use snacks as a reward for this because if you are hungry going into class, you are less likely to want to learn or be able to think critically,” DeSalvo said. “So having these opportunities for food can be a great motivator for students to do well.” This did, however, create problems DeSalvo didn’t expect.
As of this year, he is no longer selling or giving out snacks to students. “The school is now selling snacks down in the cafeteria, and it also became a hassle in my classroom because people kept coming in and out. I need to teach my kids. I don’t need these other kids to distract my learning and distract the process that’s happening in my room.”
One thing that is important to all teachers is building trust with their students. “I have always gotten along with the teachers who matched my vibe, so when I first met DeSalvo, he was very respectful and always helped me with my work,” senior Pamela Tellez Gomez said.
He always asks his students if they are having trouble and keeps them up to date whenever they’re missing homework! “I didn’t go to Norristown when I went to school, so there is a lot that is new to me, and I experience something new every day,” DeSalvo said.
Knowing DeSalvo for half a year I knew he was a funny person, so I asked him how he would survive a zombie apocalypse. “I have general knowledge skills, and I did Boy Scouts so I have a lot of those basic wilderness survival skills and also common sense.”
Maybe it’s that last quality that also makes him such a good teacher here at Norristown.
