By Kimberly Hopson
L’Observateur

EDGARD – West St. John High School math and science teacher Brian Carter received recognition during last week’s Over and Beyond Awards for excellence in his field.
Carter’s fellow educators said that he regularly puts in extra time and effort to do his job well — his job does not end with the ringing of the bell. Befitting his giving nature, Carter said he was very surprised to get the award because there are other people who worked just as hard as him. The awards were presented by the West Bank Civic Association.
“It made me feel good to recognize that I was appreciated. It really almost brought tears to my eyes,” he said.
The 43-year-old father of two noted that he experienced massive loss during Hurricane Issac but still never missed a day of school despite his troubles — and with no muttering and complaining.
“I came to work and did what I had to do. Everything I had in my house, I lost. It was very saddening to go in your house and see everything muddied and gone. I did it really for my children here at school. I wanted to show everybody that no matter how rough things get in life, you have to keep on going,” he said.
Carter is member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and attends St. Michael Baptist Church in LaPlace where he is a member of the deacon’s board.
Carter said when he is not teaching, he enjoys weight lifting, reading and teaching Sunday school.
Carter said he originally planned to be a chemist but discovered his love for teaching while tutoring students in college. This led down a totally different path.
“Everyone said I tutored chemistry really well, and before I knew it, I switched from being a pure chemist to an educator,” he said. “I was able to break down the material really well, and from that point on I started to teach more.”
Carter said he loves science and math, but chemistry is his favorite. He said he loves the thinking process and solving problems and likes to invent formulas and test them to see the reactions. His favorite thing to teach his students is balancing chemical equations. In edition to textbook learning, Carter also teaches his students the ways of the world.
“There are some good days and bad days in the classroom. But 90 percent of the time, it’s good days because I see my students learning. They’re becoming engaged in, not just chemistry and physics, but learning how to survive in life,” he said.
“I teach my students to be well-rounded, not just in education, but to know how to treat people at all times. I like to teach my young men and ladies how to act along with teaching them chemistry and physics. Manners and learning how to think so they can survive in the world.”
Carter said he treats each child in his classes like one of his own, and fusses at them and loves them accordingly. Apparently, his students love his teaching method — juniors Austin Howard, 16, and Rahsaan Smith, 17, were conveniently around to testify.
“He’s a cool teacher. If you don’t get stuff in class, he’ll help us one-on-one. When he teaches, he’s going to teach and he’s not going to be lazy with it. He’s always enthusiastic,” said Howard.
Smith said that he appreciates the amount of hands-on demonstration in the class.
“It’s never boring in here. I would’ve said off the jump that he was qualified (to win the award),”
he said.
The educator said he wouldn’t change anything about his job because it gives the freedom to “do what he has to do” in the classroom. He also said the job offers him room to grow. Carter revealed plans to branch out within the next couple of years.
“Right now I’m at 18 years (in education). I figure I’ll do two more years in the classroom, which would give me 20. After that, I would like to become an administrator, a principal or assistant principal, to have more influence on teachers. Especially our first-year teachers, to mold them and show them that teaching is not just reading a book. You have to become a well-rounded person. Everybody can’t do this game,” he said.
Finally, Carter offered a bit of advice for all teachers, especially ones who are just starting in the field.
“For my teachers, always come prepared. And always be flexible, because a curve ball will always come when you least expect it. You can’t just be stuck on one game plan. You have to learn to adjust mid-flight, because if you don’t it’s going to be a hard year.”