Samir Paul: From Magnet Student to Magnet Teacher

Unfortunately, despite his newfound passion, his position did not last. The school could not offer Paul a full-time computer science teacher position. When an opportunity arose for him to work on the Obama 2012 campaign, he took it. With the campaign, he worked as a field organizer, organizing and mobilizing local volunteer groups in politically important districts in Wisconsin.

After Election Day, Paul took a job at IBM, working with the U.S. Postal Service. His main project there was to mathematically define and calculate standards for how long packages should take to be shipped from one place to another. Like a true academic, he greatly enjoyed the challenges the job posed, as well as the overall experience there.

“I got to work on really interesting problems, and I worked with really smart people,” he says.

Paul once again moved on when he found a chance to return to teaching. He first learned of the job opportunity at Blair last year, when his former teacher and longtime friend David Stein approached him about filling in the spot of retiring Magnet computer science teacher MaryAnn Dvorsky. According to Paul, the choice to leave IBM for Blair was not a difficult one.

“I think this is one of the best teaching jobs in the country,” he says candidly. “[It was] too tempting to turn down.”

At present, Paul teaches only two classes – Algorithms and Data Structures A/B and Programming I A/B – but he plans on branching out in the future. Asked what his ideal job would be were he not teaching, Paul had no definitive answer.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a [single dream job]. What I have,” he explains, “is a sort of overarching vision for what I want my life to be. I’d like it to be one lived in the service of others.”

Regarding activities outside of school, Paul laments that this year, he hasn't had very much free time. But he adds that since college, he has enjoyed playing squash (“It’s a beautiful game!”). In addition, he serves on various boards, including the Board of the Harvard Club of Washington, D.C. and the Magnet Foundation.

Though nearly a decade has passed since his own graduation in 2006, Paul insists that at its roots the Magnet hasn't changed much. He acknowledges that there are superficial differences – such as the integration of smartphones and other new technology into daily Magnet life – but asserts that ultimately “the core realities of the Magnet [have stayed the same].” He believes that the Magnet’s fundamental purpose, as much today as when he was a student, is to combine/bring together “really gifted, inquisitive students who love to solve problems…[with] teachers interested in coaxing the best possible results out of [them].” He believes that this focus is “really what’s at the heart of the success of the Magnet.”

As a former Magnet student, Paul exhibits a unique empathy for the pressure to succeed that his students face regularly.

“I remember the feeling,” he says, “of being in high school, and…the utter weight that many students feel.”

In retrospect, he believes that he was often overly concerned about his grades. He urges his students to put GPAs second and prioritize learning and understanding what they are taught.

“I know every student reading this will ignore it,” he says half-jokingly, “but take this opportunity to actually get smarter. Take this opportunity to truly learn things. Once you’re in the world and you have responsibilities, [finding time to just learn] is really hard.”

The Magnet's 30th Anniversary Reunion will be on Sunday, August 23rd @ noon in Gaithersburg, MD! RSVP Now!