Another exciting year full of learning and joy awaits us! This month’s Staffer of the Month is none other than FDR’s Mr. Pereira! You can usually get hold of him in the Math Department. He is responsible for teaching AP Statistics. Like many of our teachers here at FDR, Mr. Pereira was chosen for his strenuous work with FDR’s students and respect for his colleagues. Here is my interview with him.
How do you feel seeing yourself as Staffer of the Month?
“I am flattered to be recognized as the Staffer of the Month, because I work at a high school where every faculty member deserves respect for their hard work. Their dedication to FDR is simply remarkable. To be recognized as the Staffer of the Month is a proud moment for me.”
What inspires you about being a teacher?
“I always had an interest and the penchant to contribute to the society. Teaching is probably the best way to that. Teaching is also a noble profession, and it allows one to understand and help other people.”
How and why is statistics important to our modern life?
“I am happy to have the opportunity to teach a subject that is so relevant to our modern life. We live in a world which is immersed with data. Data is ubiquitous. And it is statistics that enables us to analyze and comprehend our world of data. Statistics is tangible to just about everything we do. Understanding statistics helps a student prepare for college and beyond.”
What would be your advice to the students who are taking AP Statistics this year?
“Students taking AP Statistics should be consistently diligent, since it is a course that requires special attention. Students should consider reading their textbooks every day. They should also be involved with problems that require critical thinking.”
Of all the topics in statistics, which topic is the one that you find most interesting?
“I essentially enjoy all the topics, because statistics require one’s understanding of uncertainty and variation. Since I have to choose only one topic, I will highlight the Central Limit Theorem, which delineates the idea of how one can generalize about a certain population with the just a sample of a data at one’s disposal.”
Could you share some of your past life with us?
“I was born and grew up in Brazil. Probably this is why I am a huge soccer fan. I studied economics at college and later moved to the United States in 1976 for graduate school.
After I got my MBA in Business, I followed a career in banking and finance. But at the same time, I always had an interest in teaching. After my children left for college 10 years ago, I decided to become a teacher here at FDR.
A personal statement: I myself was one of Mr. Pereira’s students last year when I took AP Statistics. I remember those days when I stayed at school until 6pm with Mr. Pereira, and some of my other friends, to practice for the AP exam. He would spend hours with us explaining and going over anything that we needed clarified. It was then when I realized how much Mr. Pereira is dedicated to helping students in every possible way. He truly is a great teacher and an inspiring man. If you are taking AP Statistics this year, don’t forget to use this to your advantage. And don’t forget to ask questions! Mr. Pereira will always be there for you to answer them!