Q + A: Math teacher David Daily
Math teacher David Daily assists a student with a math problem.
February 23, 2014
Math teacher David Daily has been teaching at Tracy High for 17 years. He is a dedicated scuba diver and travels across the world to pursue his passion of scuba diving. Daily is motivated by witnessing improvements in his students and seeing them work to the best of their ability.
What is your most memorable moment as a scuba diver? “I have been scuba diving for a very long time, and I am also a scuba diving instructor. I have traveled to exotic locations like Fiji, Plao, and all over the Caribbean. This summer I am going to Truk Lagoon. My most memorable moment was when I went on a shark dive in Fiji and witnessed a bull shark and a 14 feet Tiger Shark.”
What are your hobbies? “I enjoy watching all different kinds of sports, and I used to coach volleyball at Tracy High, but scuba diving is the most major part of my life outside of school.”
What is one piece of advice that you would give to high school freshmen? “Nobody is going to hand anything to you. If you want to be successful you have to work hard.”
What is your favorite type of food? “I really like spaghetti, steak, and pizza. I enjoy going to different places with my wife to eat on the weekends. Some of our favorite places to go to are Chili’s, Olive Garden, and Texas Roadhouse.”
Why did you decide to teach math? “I thought I was good at math because I was good with change while I was growing up. Also, when I became an assistant scout master, I really liked teaching in general. When I volunteered at a middle school to teach math, I knew for sure that I wanted to become a math teacher.”
What do you love most about your job? “To see when the students finally do have successes when they do well on a test, they always smile. I like seeing improvement in students.”
What is the most difficult part about your job? “It can become difficult to motivate students who do not choose to do the work and put in any effort. Also, the people outside of education do not know what the life of a teacher is and many people do not really support teachers.”
If you could change something about education, what would it be? “I would change the structure. The format that we use in high school is based on an old system, it is very confined. I believe that we need more trade programs for kids because college is not right for every student.”
What motivates you? “The successes that I do see with the students motivate me. When a student smiles because they got a good score on a test or when a student makes growth in math, especially if math seemed like a foreign language to them before, it inspires me to keep teaching.”
What is your favorite place to go to on a day trip? “My favorite place to go on a day trip is Monterrey Bay because it’s a very popular place for scuba diving. I usually get there around 8 a.m., put on my gear, and be part of a world that very few people ever get to see.”
