Jonathan Osler: A Passionate Educator Determined to Make a Difference
When discussing the people who instruct children and teens, most parents feel that they are heaven-sent. And the majority are. Some educators enter the classroom with great anticipation and vigor to help young people achieve their dreams. It is no small feat—to be precise. Unfortunately, some teachers have lost the stamina needed to expand a child’s mind. This includes those who may have entered a career in education with the best intentions only to discover they might not have chosen the correct career path for their personality.
To be clear, many teachers teaching in schools today cannot connect with children who are not of their own race or background. It is a hard truth that parents of different social backgrounds and ethnicities have discovered. However, this article will discuss an educator who has that fight and vigor to help these educators teach young minds. Not just the privileged ones, but most of all the ones who are not. The minority children from poor backgrounds. This teacher takes his role as an educator seriously. He is much more than an educator. He is an activist for equality and equity and a mentor to those who feel left behind. The person that will be discussed in this article is Jonathan Osler.
A Passionate Purpose
Having a passionate personality is a necessary trait when working towards equal opportunities with organizations such as non-profits. In his 20-year career in education, Jonathan Osler has carried his passion as an educator through his time as a high school math teacher and a co-principal. Carrying on from those, he has continuously pursued his work for educational equity and racial justice by bridging schools with potentially helpful resources. He prides himself on being an effective communicator through public speaking and teaching. His ability to reach out to diverse audiences through his words and presentations is a staple for his success.
An Innovative Mind
Furthermore, Jonathan Osler expands his innovative abilities to help his own community of Oakland, California. He has set up programs through local non-profits, community members, and philanthropic establishments. He brings his ideas to the table, and those initiatives have closed the divides through education and digital needs. These programs bring forth ideas and maintain a balance by bringing on partners that help connect all families to the virtual world by ensuring that all the educators and students have access to a computer. The Oakland Undivided program is an essential resource for this purpose.
Furthermore, he continued his work during the pandemic by contributing his educational expertise to the Covid Relief Fund for Oakland Students and Schools. The goal is to keep public education relevant during the disconcerting days of Covid-19. The ability to keep volunteers and educators engaged in the educational value school brings to young people, especially minorities, is a core concept that drives this educational warrior.
An Informative Writer
Along with public speaking affairs and getting involved with educational organizations, Osler also educates through his written essays. He orchestrates his words to help others understand the subject matters he spends his life defending and helping—educational equity and racial justice. In his writing, a reader will discover how starting his teaching career on 9/11 and losing a former student on that day shaped his views. Being a STEM math teacher, Osler writes about using math as a tool for social injustice. In his essays, he also details a relationship with a civil rights icon—Bob Moses and the wisdom Mr. Moses passed on to him that he now relates to others.
Indeed, people like Jonathan Osler, who give their lives to helping others connect to education’s values, are rare. The astute responsibility he takes on to teach everyone how to treat others that are not of our same culture with the same advantages through educational programs that he has worked on is award-worthy.
It is not to say that he has made a path for his life that is not only full of gallant experiences, but he has stayed family-focused. Living with his wife, an immigrant rights attorney, she shares his passion for equity for those who live with disadvantages. As a father of two daughters, his path of human endeavors will undoubtedly teach them to become caring citizens to all people as well.
The chapters of Osler’s life is a story unfinished as he continues his path of educating others about equity and racial justice.
