I might never have heard of him were it not for the Academy Award nominated inspirational drama Stand and Deliver. When I was in grade school one of our math teachers had us watch it; it became an all time favorite of mine.
Mr. Escalante, the subject of the film, was known for his many years of dedication to his math students, preparing them for A.P. calculus exams.In his native Bolivia he taught physics and mathematics for many years. He pursued studies in Puerto Rico and Pasadena, California in the 1960s, and earned a degree in mathematics from California State University where he specialized in calculus.
He began to teach at Garfield High (East Los Angeles, California) which had a very bad academic reputation. Mr. Escalante was instrumental in turning the tables, and motivated his students to excel in math. He pushed to have Advanced Placement calculus courses, but his colleagues and school administrators had little hope initially. In 1979 he was finally allowed to teach the first AP Calculus course to five students. Two passed the AP test. In the years that followed, more students enrolled in the course and more passed.
In 1982, all 18 of his students passed the test, but all 18 got the same answer wrong, and they were suspected of cheating. The students were asked to retake the test under intense observation and they all passed again.
These events were dramatized in the 1988 movie Stand and Deliver
In the film, Mr. Escalante is portrayed by Edward James Olmos who won the "Best Actor" Independent Spirit award and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for "Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role". Mr. Escalante came with Olmos to the Oscar ceremony that year - I remember watching the ceremony that year and was rooting for Olmos to win. Escalante became known as "America's Most Famous Teacher".
Below: View the trailer to the movie:
Math with Professor Escalante was definately the class to take at Garfield High after 1982. In 1983, the number of students enrolling and passing the A.P. calculus test more than doubled.
Mr. Escalante went on to teach math in schools in Sacramento, California and at East Los Angeles College.
In 2001, Escalante returned to his native Bolivia and taught part time at the local university. He returned to the United States frequently to visit his children.
In recent years he faced financial difficulties from the cost of his cancer treatment. Cast members from Stand and Deliver, including Edward James Olmos, and some of Escalante's former pupils, raised funds to help pay for his medical bills.He passed away this Tuesday, March 30, 2010, aged 79, at his son's home near Sacramento while undergoing treatment for bladder cancer.He is survived by his wife Fabiola and his sons Fernando and Jaime Jr.
For a more detailed story of his life, read the Los Angeles Times tribute, the New York Times Tribute, and the Washington Post tribute.
Here is a great scene from the movie Stand and Deliver starring Edward James Olmos as Jaime Escalante: