Mr. Logan shows his excitement for math by solving equations. photo by Ben Scherer
Mr. Logan inspires minds, one equation at a time.
Michael Logan has taught at Thomas Jefferson High School for almost seven years, and his journey into the world of education has been anything but traditional. What makes Mr. Logan stand out isn’t just his skill in teaching math or his years in the classroom, it’s the personal story behind the educator. His passion for teaching and his commitment to his students go beyond the lessons he writes on the whiteboard or the assignments he grades. He sees his classroom as a space not just for equations and problem solving, but for personal growth and support.
Logan’s love for teaching stems from the connections he builds with students and the satisfaction he gets from seeing their progress. He enjoys working with young people far more than adults. What drives him most is being able to help students, especially those who doubt themselves, grow in confidence and ability. Many of the students he teaches come into his classroom unsure about math or unsure about school in general, andLogan sees it as his job to help them recognize what they’re capable of. He finds a deep purpose in showing students who think they aren’t going far in life that they actually can. Helping them reach not just their academic goals but their personal goals is what keeps him motivated every day.
Before becoming a teacher, Logan didn’t even enjoy math himself. In fact, it wasn’t until his junior and senior years of high school that math started to make sense to him and became something he actually enjoyed. His own struggles with the subject in his early years give him a special kind of empathy for students who don’t immediately “get it.” He understands what it feels like to sit in a classroom and feel frustrated by numbers and formulas. That understanding helps him connect with students who are having a hard time, because he’s been there too. Logan’s journey into education took a few turns before he landed in the classroom. Early in his life, he started a family, which led him to attend the University of Colorado while juggling the responsibilities of being a parent. With the need to provide for his growing family, he initially chose a path outside of teaching. Instead of going straight into education, he entered the business world, where he worked for several years. But during that time he realized that the world of business didn’t give him the same sense of fulfillment or connection that he was looking for. Eventually, he found his way back to his original passion: working with young people.
That passion had started years earlier when Logan led a youth group through his church. It was during that time that he realized how much he enjoyed working with kids. He saw firsthand how much potential they had and how rewarding it could be to support them through their challenges. “Kids are fun,” he said. “More fun than adults.” That experience planted the seed that would grow into a career in teaching. Logan’s road to becoming the teacher he is today wasn’t always smooth. In 2015, he faced a major setback. He was told that he wasn’t showing the kind of performance the school needed. That criticism led to him being laid off, an especially difficult moment, as it happened at the same time his youngest child was being born. But rather than letting that moment define him or discourage him, Logan used it as motivation. He didn’t give up on his dream of becoming a teacher. Instead, he pushed forward, determined to improve and grow.
Over the course of 20 years in education, Logan has learned countless lessons, not just about math, but about students, behavior, learning styles, and what it takes to connect with students. Due to him being a parent himself, he finds it easier to relate to the challenges and experiences of his students. In his early years of teaching, he picked up on the academic aspects quickly, but the personal side of teaching, the part that involves classroom management, behavior, and emotional support, took a little more time to develop. As he gained experience, he adapted and learned how to support students in every way he knew how to. He’s not the kind of teacher who gives up easily. If a student is struggling, he doesn’t just write them off, he gives them another chance, and sometimes a third or a fourth, if that’s what it takes to help them succeed. He believes that everyone has potential, and sometimes all a student needs is someone to believe in them long enough for them to start believing in themselves.
One of the perks of being a teacher that Logan especially values is the time it allows him to spend with his family. Summers and school breaks aren’t just vacation time for him—they’re an opportunity to be with the people who matter most. As someone who values family deeply, he appreciates that his career gives him the flexibility to take trips, play with his kids, and be present during important moments in their lives. That balance between work and family is something he’s worked hard to maintain. Outside the classroom, Logan stays active and relaxed. He’s an avid runner and once ran in the Boston Marathon, right around the time his youngest child was born. In his own backyard, he has a basketball court, where he shoots hoops with his sons or just by himself to unwind. But even with all that activity, he jokes that he also “works really hard to be very lazy.” Doing nothing, he says, is something that’s always on his to-do list. When he has the chance, he loves taking time to relax, spend time with his wife, and carve out regular date nights. For Logan, life is about balance, working hard when it’s time to work, but also knowing when to rest and enjoy the moment.
Looking to the future, Logan has plans to keep growing as an educator. When he eventually retires from Thomas Jefferson High School, he wants to continue teaching at the college level. He’s curious to see what it would be like to work with college freshmen, and how that experience would differ from high school. But no matter where he’s teaching, his core values will stay the same: building strong relationships, supporting students, and helping them believe in their ability to succeed. Logan’s journey proves that teaching is about far more than just numbers and test scores. It’s about resilience, passion, and the willingness to invest in others. Whether he’s solving equations, shooting hoops, or just relaxing on the couch, Logan brings his whole self to the work he does.
