--- title: Tampa Prep Blog | Butch Jalbert, Mathematics teacher description: "In 1969, the fall of my senior year in high school, Professor Charles Brusard from Assumption College came to my campus to teach a class on AP Calculus AB and my life was mathematically changed and challenged forever. Off to Boston College, I went to major in Math, receiving a B.A. in Math in 1974. Following my graduation, Boston College offered a tuition scholarship and a teaching fellowship while earning a Master of Art degree in Math in 1976. How could I say no? Desiring to spread the truths of Calculus to prep school minds and see their faces light up with understanding intrigued me. 

\n\nThis stuff was fun and explaining it to others was satisfying. Education is really a two-way street: sharing insights with students and learning from students. \n\nTampa Prep has been very kind to me, assisting me in my journey, securing grants for writing an AP Calculus AB book and an AP Calculus BC iBook. I am happily married with eight children, five of whom are married, and seven grandchildren." --- [![Tampa Preparatory School](https://tampaprep.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/TampaLogo.png)](https://tampaprep.org) - [About](https://tampaprep.org/about) - [About](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/) - [Alumni](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/alumni/) - [Alumni Events](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/alumni/alumni-events/) - [Alumni Resources](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/alumni/alumni-resources/) - [Career Opportunities](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/career-opportunities/) - [Contact Us](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/contact-us/) - [History & Traditions](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/history-tradition/) - [25 Things to Do Before You Graduate](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/history-tradition/25-things-to-do-before-you-graduate/) - [Timeline](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/history-tradition/timeline/) - [Leadership Team](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/leadership-team/) - [Board of Trustees](https://tampaprep.org/support/board-of-trustees/) - [Meet Our Students](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/meet-our-students-tampa-preparatory-school/) - [Mission & Values](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/mission-values/) - [School Blog](https://blog.tampaprep.org/) - [Admissions](https://tampaprep.org/admissions) - [Begin Your Journey](https://tampaprep.org/admissions/) - [Virtual Tour](https://massinteract.com/tampa-preparatory-school/) - [Private Tours & Open House](https://tampaprep.org/admissions/admissions-events/) - [How to Apply](https://tampaprep.org/admissions/admissions-process/) - [Tuition & Financial Aid](https://tampaprep.org/admissions/tuition-financial-aid/) - [Connect with a Parent Ambassador](https://tampaprepambassadors.peerpal.app/#/) - [Academics](https://tampaprep.org/academics) - [Academics](https://tampaprep.org/academics/) - [Academic Concentrations](https://tampaprep.org/academics/academic-concentrations/) - [Academic Support](https://tampaprep.org/academics/academic-support/) - [College Counseling](https://tampaprep.org/academics/college-counseling/) - [Planning your Future at Prep](https://tampaprep.org/academics/college-counseling/planning-your-future-at-prep/) - [Standardized Testing](https://tampaprep.org/academics/college-counseling/standardized-testing/) - [Financial Aid and Scholarships](https://tampaprep.org/academics/college-counseling/financial-aid-and-scholarships/) - [Curriculum](https://tampaprep.org/academics/curriculum/) - [Arts: Digital, Performing, Visual](https://tampaprep.org/academics/the-arts/digital-perf-visual-arts/) - [Art Courses](https://tampaprep.org/academics/the-arts/art-courses/) - [Innovative Spaces](https://tampaprep.org/academics/innovative-spaces/) - [Meet Our Faculty & Staff](https://tampaprep.org/academics/meet-our-faculty-staff/) - [STEM & Virtual Reality](https://tampaprep.org/academics/stem-virtual-reality/) - [Student Life](https://tampaprep.org/student-life) - [Student Life](https://tampaprep.org/student-life/) - [Athletics](https://tampaprep.org/student-life/athletics/) - [Facilities](https://tampaprep.org/student-life/athletics/facilities/) - [Clubs & Service](https://tampaprep.org/student-life/clubs-service/) - [Go Beyond](https://tampaprep.org/student-life/go-beyond/) - [Parent Experience](https://tampaprep.org/student-life/parent-experience/) - [Summer](https://tampaprep.org/student-life/summer-camps-in-tampa/) - [Support](https://tampaprep.org/support) - [Support](https://tampaprep.org/support) - [Annual Fund](https://tampaprep.org/support/annual-fund/) - [Make a Gift](https://tampaprep.org/support/give-gift-form/) - [Day of Giving](https://tampaprep.org/support/dayofgiving/) - [Special Events](https://tampaprep.org/support/special-events/) - [Special Events](https://tampaprep.org/support/special-events/) - [Gala](https://tampaprep.org/support/special-events/gala/) - [Events](https://tampaprep.org/support) - [Calendar](https://tampaprep.org/parent-portal-welcome/calendar/) - [Special Events](https://tampaprep.org/parent-portal-welcome/special-events/) - [Alumni Events](https://tampaprep.org/about-tampa-preparatory-school/alumni/alumni-events/) - [Parent Portal](https://tampaprep.org/parent-portal-welcome/) ## Butch Jalbert, Mathematics teacher ![Butch Jalbert, Mathematics teacher](https://blog.tampaprep.org/hubfs/Butch%20Jalbert.png) In 1969, the fall of my senior year in high school, Professor Charles Brusard from Assumption College came to my campus to teach a class on AP Calculus AB and my life was mathematically changed and challenged forever. Off to Boston College, I went to major in Math, receiving a B.A. in Math in 1974. Following my graduation, Boston College offered a tuition scholarship and a teaching fellowship while earning a Master of Art degree in Math in 1976. How could I say no? Desiring to spread the truths of Calculus to prep school minds and see their faces light up with understanding intrigued me. 

 This stuff was fun and explaining it to others was satisfying. Education is really a two-way street: sharing insights with students and learning from students. Tampa Prep has been very kind to me, assisting me in my journey, securing grants for writing an AP Calculus AB book and an AP Calculus BC iBook. I am happily married with eight children, five of whom are married, and seven grandchildren. ### Recent Posts [STEM / Virtual Reality](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/stem-virtual-reality) [Academics](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/academics) ## [#LoveMathAgain](https://blog.tampaprep.org/lovemathagain) In my 40 or so years of teaching at Tampa Prep, I have heard a lot of students say, "Math is so... [![Butch Jalbert, Mathematics teacher](https://blog.tampaprep.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Butch%20Jalbert.png?width=70&height=70&name=Butch%20Jalbert.png)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/author/butch-jalbert-mathematics-teacher) [Butch Jalbert, Mathematics teacher](https://blog.tampaprep.org/author/butch-jalbert-mathematics-teacher) October 15, 2019 [All posts](https://blog.tampaprep.org/all) Search ### Categories - [Life Lessons (24)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/life-lessons) - [Upper School (22)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/upper-school) - [Academics (15)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/academics) - [Being Earnest (12)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/being-earnest) - [Middle School (11)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/middle-school) - [Community Service (8)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/community-service) - [Academic Counseling (6)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/academic-counseling) - [Alumni (5)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/alumni) - [World Languages (5)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/world-languages) - [Athletics (3)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/athletics) - [Parenting (3)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/parenting) - [STEM / Virtual Reality (3)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/stem-virtual-reality) - [History & Traditions (2)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/history-traditions) - [Summer (2)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/summer) - [TPPA (2)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/tag/tppa) [![SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4384978/5b540678-1fdb-4f84-a91c-72cc66f5b06f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4384978/5b540678-1fdb-4f84-a91c-72cc66f5b06f) - - - - - © 2022 Tampa Preparatory School 727 W. Cass Street, Tampa, FL 33703 813-251-8481 [![Logo Full Length White](https://blog.tampaprep.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo_Full-Length_White-300x35.png?width=300&height=35&name=Logo_Full-Length_White-300x35.png)](https://blog.tampaprep.org/home) 727 W Cass St, Tampa, FL 33606 [(813) 251-8481](tel:8132518481) [Inquire    ](https://info.tampaprep.org/admissions-inquiry)[Visit    ](https://tampaprep.org/private-tours-open-house/)[Apply    ](https://tampaprep.org/admissions/)[Give](https://tampaprep.org/give/) [Privacy Policy](https://tampaprep.org/privacy-policy) © 2023 Tampa Preparatory School. - [twitter](https://twitter.com/TampaPrep) - [facebook](https://www.facebook.com/tampaprep/) - [vimeo](https://vimeo.com/tampaprep) - [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/user/TampaPreparatory) - [instagram](https://www.instagram.com/tampa_prep/)