Mr. Hostetler joined Episcopal’s Math Department this fall. He decided to put an interesting twist on his first day of school, teaching his Statistics classes, thus prompting this interview.

Tell me about this accent you used the first day of class.

Well, the whole purpose of the accent was to help students understand that observations don’t always fit with previously held assumptions. It was meant to make students question the expectations they have.

Have you tried speaking in a fake accent for a class before?

No, this was the first time I had done it. I thought it up over the summer.

So, what made you choose this moment to try it out?

I think it was important to make the students ask themselves the following questions. Is [the use of the fake accent] so strange that I have to question what’s wrong with him? Do I have to question my previously held belief that all teachers at ESJ should have American accents?

In statistics, it is important to understand that this type of revelation actually happens in real life, and you can’t always stick with what you expect results to be.

Tell me about your move to Duval.

I moved a year and a half ago from Arkansas, with my family. I taught in Arkansas for eight years, and I taught public school in Jacksonville before coming to Episcopal.

And how are you liking ESJ?

It’s very nice; I like it a lot. There have been lots of fun surprises, let’s say that.

Image courtesy of the Advancement Office.