BY HANNAH DUCHARME, Freshman
BLYTHEWOOD-- Jason Foti, BHS World Geography teacher has traveled many different, fascinating places all over the country and world including Italy, Greece, Puerto Rico, and The Grand Cayman Islands Foti’s traveling experiences have not only influenced him as a person, but has also helped him become a better teacher.
“I’ve traveled all over the world. All the places I have traveled to include every state in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, The Grand Cayman Islands, Bahamas, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Germany, and the Czech Republic,” Foti said.
Foti’s favorite part of traveling to new places is getting ‘lost’ in the culture and atmosphere of the places and understanding how much more, there is to experience than just Blythewood, South Carolina and even the U.S.
“I feel like there’s a fine difference between traveling and vacationing. Vacationing to me, is all about being comfortable, while in traveling, you should never feel comfortable. My favorite aspect of traveling is experiencing as much of a place as I can like the culture, different foods, and various languages. I also love getting lost in the different places because this is where you find the things you’d never expect and have the most fun of the entire trip,” Foti stated.
Of the several places Foti has visited, his favorite place is Cinqueterre, Italy because of his special memories connected with it.
“My favorite place I have visited is Cinqueterre, Italy because it is where I got engaged to my wife, Sara,” Foti said.
Foti became a teacher because he liked the idea of being able to influence children’s mindsets and provide wisdom to kids at advanced levels.
“I became a teacher because I liked the idea of being able to influence and expand kid’s mindsets and thought processes, and also because I feel I can change the world one mind at a time,” Foti said.
Foti’s first job in teaching was in his hometown.
“My first job was in Pittsford, upstate New York,” Foti said.
Foti’s expectations for his class are that students develop beneficial life skills and develop a new and broadened outlook on the world.
“My expectations for my class are for students to develop beneficial life skills, learn to think critically, learn to write arguments, and learn to take a stand and substantially support their claim with evidence. I also expect a broader, and expanded outlook on the world, understanding that there’s so much more to this world that just our community of Blythewood, and even the U.S. in general,” Foti said.
Foti’s favorite part of his very recent wedding was sharing a peaceful, private moment with bride, Sara and enjoying the fact and new realization that they were now married. His other favorite part was getting to celebrate their love with close family and friends.
“My favorite part of my wedding on Aug 30 was being able to celebrate and share a love that I’ve known for so long with close family and friends, and have them experience that same feeling. My other favorite part was going to a room with just Sara and I, and enjoying the fact that we were now finally married and all the stress and chaos put into our wedding, paid off tremendously,” Foti said.
Foti’s favorite teaching experience/memory was when he worked in a low success rate, inner-city school in Rochester, New York, because he helped a 20 year old student finally graduate high school.
“My favorite memory/experience in teaching is working in an inner-city school in Rochester, New York where there weren’t very many successes because I privately mentored a 20 year old student, and assisted him in finally graduating high school,” Foti stated.
Foti was born and raised in New York.
“I was born in Rochester, New York on June 24,1984 and lived there for most of my life,” Foti stated.
Foti received his undergraduate at the University of Buffalo in New York.
“I received my undergraduate and attended college at the University of Buffalo in New York,” Foti commented.
Foti moved to Blythewood because it gave him an opportunity to experience something out of his comfort zone.
“I moved to Blythewood because I saw it as a chance to experience something out of my comfort zone, to encounter new and unfamiliar culture, and due to many job offers, but selected BHS because it maintained the highest ranking,” Foti stated.
Blythewood freshman Camryn Price, said the most challenging part of Foti’s class are the readings given because of their length and detail.
“The most challenging part of Foti’s class is probably the readings that we have to do for homework because they are really long and you have to be so detailed and descriptive in them to get a good grade,” Price said.
Price thinks Foti is a good teacher because he actively explains and describes the content learned in class and provides necessary, flexible tutoring.
“I think Foti is a good teacher because he is always actively explaining what he is teaching as we learn it in class and he always offers tutoring during flexible, convenient times for students,” Price said.
Price thinks Foti’s teaching style will help her succeed because he teaches large sections of information in a short period of time to where it also makes since, and because she is a fast learner.
“I think Foti’s teaching style will help me succeed because he teaches understandable, large sections of information in short periods of time, and this will also help me because I’m a fast learner,” Price stated.
Blythewood freshman, Will Galloway said he thinks the most challenging part of Foti’s class are the reading because they’re so time consuming.
“I think that the readings are the hardest part of Foti’s class because at the very least, they are the most time consuming and contain so much information, it sometimes makes you feel overwhelmed,” Galloway stated.
Galloway explains Foti is a good teacher because he makes sure everyone is aware of what is going on in class and makes sure everyone understands the material before moving on.
“I think that Foti is a good teacher because while he is doing lectures and going over notes, he makes sure that everyone knows what is going on and understand the content provided,and he offers ways (i.e. tutoring) to help people who struggle in the class,” Galloway said.
