From student teacher to his own class, Jason Greenberg instructs with passion

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Cristal Hernandez

Jason Greenberg is walking around at the end of class checking the homework assignments from freshmen Math 1 Honor students Alyssa Angeles, Dylan Perez, Chase Strople (right to left). “Always do your homework :),” Greenberg said.

Cristal Hernandez, Staff writer

Buena welcomes Jason Greenberg with open arms. The new math teacher loves to help out others when they are in need and motivates his students to try their best.

For much of Greenberg’s life, he tutored math and worked as a manager in insurance sales. Overtime, the feeling of working as a manager became insufficient and he realized it was not his calling. After working for nine years, Greenberg decided to quit his job Jan. 2021 and return to teaching.

“The only difference was instead of worrying about sales, I worried about how the students were doing in math, and I enjoy this more,” Greenberg said. “So this was way more what I like to do versus what I was doing before.” 

Greenberg majored in mathematics while attending California State University Northridge in 2008 to 2011 and graduating with a bachelor’s degree. Right after graduating CSUN, Greenberg attended California State Channel Islands and was awarded his teaching credential.

Greenberg became a long term substitute for Buena math teacher John Overton in the spring of 2021. Thanks to Overton, Greenberg was introduced to fellow math teacher Sarah Pinkstaff and later became her student teacher from fall of 2021 to spring of 2022.

His teaching methods are efficient. He always finds a way to introduce something outside of math into math and makes learning fun and enjoyable,

— Erik Schwartz

Greenberg has been tutoring and helping students for around 15 to 20 years. But soon after his student teaching experience, Greenberg received a phone call asking if he wanted a permanent position here at Buena.

“He was very helpful last year because I had a very large class size,” Pinkstaff said. “He brought a lot of energy to the room. I am very happy for him that he was able to get the job and I am glad that the students were so happy to see him back again this year.”

Given his love for math, when Greenberg was a child, his parents would make sure he was doing well in school. The person who was always there for him whenever he needed help was his grandfather, who was an engineer.

“He loved math, so when I had trouble in math as a student growing up, he was my go-to on things,” Greenberg said. “He always set me on the right path and I always felt good afterwards so I try to do the same thing now.”