Darin Schumacher
Empower Math Teacher
BS, Mathematics Education, University of North Dakota; MS Ed. Leadership, Minnesota State University of Moorhead
Mr. Schumacher traces his passion for teaching back to when he was a student himself. He explains that it wasn’t simply that he was successful as a student; it’s that he enjoyed learning. Today, his focus as a math teacher is to make the subject engaging, interesting – fun! – “to pass the joy of learning onto students,” he says.
Building Relationships
Mr. Schumacher taught at brick-and-mortar schools for more than 20 years before joining the faculty at Inspire Connections Academy in 2020. He is proud to be part of a staff that “is always here to help” students any way they can.
Compared to the traditional classroom environment, virtual schooling enables Mr. Schumacher to spend significantly more one-on-one time with his students. “The most rewarding part of teaching at Inspire Connections Academy is building relationships with students,” he says.
That is especially important for the subject he teaches. As much as any academic area, math can be polarizing, and it is not uncommon for a student to say they’re not a “math person.” Mr. Schumacher understands how much of a difference he can make. “I enjoy helping students overcome challenges in math,” he says.
"The most rewarding part of teaching at Inspire Connections Academy is building relationships with students."
— Mr. Schumacher
Hockey Coach
When he’s not teaching math, Mr. Schumacher serves as a very different kind of teacher. He is the coach of the Spokane Braves Junior Hockey Team in the KIJHL, a highly competitive league based in British Columbia. It’s a significant commitment. “Outside of school hours, I am either training hockey players on or off the ice in the offseason,” he says, or “running practices or coaching game during the season.”