Krenelka knows how to relate to kids

By DAWN SLADE
Mille Lacs County Times
Posted 4/5/02

Adam Krenelka teaches math, in what seems like two different worlds.

His days are spent at the Milaca Secondary School, teaching seventh through 12th grade math. Once heís finished there, he heads over to the ALC (Alternative Learning Center) to teach some more math.

Alternative Learning Center

The ALC is open to students 16 years of age or older. There are 65 students enrolled at the ALC this quarter. And there are five instructors who teach them.

The atmosphere at the ALC is more relaxed and the students are learning in a more independent manner than students at the high school.

On this particular day, some of the students are practicing for the basic skills test.

Krenelka (also known to some students as Mr. K) is there to answer questions and keep the students focused on their tasks, which can be a challenge.

The room is small, with only seven students in the class. Itís fairly quiet at first. A radio plays softly in the background and students are allowed to have snacks in the classroom.

It doesnít take long, though, before conversations begin. They chat about cars, how much power cars have, who has the fastest car, and what theyíve done with their fast cars. Itís all about power and speed.

Krenelka adds to the conversation on occasion and then pulls the students back to their work.

One student makes an offer to another, "Iíll let you finish my science."

Krenelka responds before the student can, "No. Youíll finish your science, after you finish your math."

The students continue working independently. Krenelka says that some of the students have failed a particular class before, so the work looks familiar to them. He envisions himself as more of a tutor than a lecturing teacher at the ALC.

Currently, Krenelka teaches math two days a week at the ALC, but that will increase to four days per week next quarter.

Krenelka is surprised at his ability to relate to the kids. He says he was nervous about how well he would get along with the students and if heíd be able to communicate with them.

Boston Doffing interjects with, "Mr. Kís the best teacher here, heís my favorite."

Krenelkaís ability to relate to the students appears to come naturally.

As time moves on, the radio seems to magically get louder, the stories get inflated and Krenelka has to reel the students back in again.

Some students strictly attend the ALC, others attend both the ALC and the high school. They can take courses in math, science, economics, sociology and English - up to four classes per quarter.

Krenelka says itís tough keeping the kids motivated and keeping them working.

Outside the classroom

Krenelka was born and raised in Grand Forks, N.D. He attended school in Fargo and graduated from Moorhead State University with a Bachelors Degree in Math Education. His family still lives in the Grand Forks area.

This is Krenelkaís second year teaching. Ironically, he was inspired to become a teacher by one of his own high school math teachers.

Krenelka says his main concern about the ALC is keeping the classroom room sizes down. "Anything more than 15 and you lose the effect of being here," he said.

A fan of epic and historical movies like "Braveheart," Krenelka also enjoys reading books of similar nature. His current favorite is "The Alienist" by Caleb Carr - a novel about Theodore Roosevelt as the police commissioner of New York City.

And like many teachers, pizza ranks high on the list for favorite foods. "Anything I donít have to cook," he adds.

Back at high school

The girls in Krenelkaís seventh and eighth grade math class at Milaca Secondary School make the ALC seem like a completely different world.

Teaching twelve-year-olds is a whole lot different than teaching 19-year-olds.

Theyíre at that "chatty Kathy" age, in limbo between being a little girl and being a teenager.

To this reporter, trying to "reel in" this group seems a whole lot tougher.

Comments about Krenelka are spewing from the studentsí mouths, "Heís an excellent teacher, but heís really weird sometimes." Of course, "weird" is relative when itís coming from an 8th grader.

The walls are adorned with posters of Einstein, Edison and Eleanor Roosevelt. A quote by Roosevelt reads, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

Krenelka does his best to get the kids focused on the dayís project - making a paper "can" from one sheet of paper.

He instructs the students to get a compass, a ruler, a scissors and a sheet of paper. He then informs them they must make the largest, most efficient "can" from just one piece of paper. They need to have a rectangle for the "body" of the can and two circles for the top and bottom.

The length of the rectangle must be equal to the circumference of the circle. Hands fly into the air, almost all of them with the same question, "How do you find the circumference of the circle?"

Krenelka turns it back to the students, "Well, how do you find the circumference?"

After several suggestions and a few disagreements among the students, Krenelka finally writes on the board c=2 * r. "Or pi times the diameter," he reminds them.

"You need to use creative thinking," Krenelka says about this project.

The students begin working on the task at hand, but the volume stays fairly high. He reminds a student whoís curious about anotherís project, "You worry about you." Itís a phrase he probably repeats often.

One young girl passes a note to me about Krenelka. Basically, she and another girl are trying to say that Krenelkaís a great teacher and that heís "hilarious."

The kids bug Krenelka about a photograph he had promised to bring in - one that shows Krenelka with long hair.

But they really get in an uproar when they find out theyíll have a substitute teacher after spring break. Krenelkaís headed to Mexico for a little break of his own.

Most of the students complete their projects before heading off to lunch.

"Itís amazing what a difference one year under your belt makes," Krenelka said. "I really do enjoy it, more than I thought I would."

The dedicated teacher that he is, Krenelka went back to his house during that lunch break to bring the students the photo of his long hair - as promised.