Colton teacher dedicated to inspiring new perspectives

Math teacher Natacha Woodson supports students both in her classroom and outside as a key member of the district’s African-American Parent Advisory Committee

Daphne Marquez, Pepper Bough Editor|February 23, 2023

CHS Yearbook Staff

Ms. Woodson loves inspiring her students.

Colton, CA— Providing awareness to students about education and changing their perception about school is what Natacha Woodson is all about.

Woodson, an Algebra teacher at Colton High shed some light about why she became a teacher and the impact she wants to have here at Colton High.

“One thing I know I wanted to try to do is encourage people to see math in a different light, because—for example, growing up, I used to see a lot of people of color didn’t like math.”

Woodson also explained her love for math and helping people—“especially students.” For a while Woodson said she shied away from teaching, but that would later become her job.

“To teach math, that’s where my focus was—to at least see if I can get students to alter their perception to at least see that it’s all over.” said Woodson.

In addition to her classroom acumen, Woodson is also active in the African American Parent Advisory Committee (AAPAC).

Even though the committee is primarily for parents, the majority of the committee is run by staff from all over the district. This includes two staff members from Colton High: Woodson and Assistant Principal Diyaira Durham.

AAPAC is an awareness committee to try and help out African-American students across Colton Joint Unified School District. To help with this, AAPAC has been doing a variety of activities and field trips.

“That’s something I’m big on too is awareness, providing awareness to people,” said Woodson.

“Hidden Figures” will screen for families on Friday, Feb. 24 at 6:00 p.m. in the Rivera MPR. (Courtesy AAPAC)

One event Woodson is hosting with the help of AAPAC to spread awareness is the Black History Month Movie Night, which will be hosted on February 24, 2023 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in the Rivera Multipurpose Room. The movie selected is “Hidden Figures,” the Oscar-nominated film starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe as a trio of African-American mathematicians who played essential roles in the development of the U.S. space program.

Woodson believes events like these are important for students because “sometimes people only know what they’ve been taught, so doing field trips, doing movies, and providing discussion at least gives students that ‘a-ha’ moment.”

It’s clear Woodson cares about student education and that is a very important thing as a teacher.