>> CATHY: EARLIER THIS MONTH, ST. PAUL HARDING HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER MICHAEL HOUSTON WAS NAMED MINNESOTA'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR.

HOUSTON HEADS THE MATH DEPARTMENT AT THE EAST SIDE SCHOOL.

DURING HIS 19 YEARS THERE, HE'S ALSO BEEN A FOOTBALL COACH NEARLY THE ENTIRE TIME.

IT HAS BEEN A TUMULTUOUS YEAR AT HARDING WITH UNEXPECTED STUDENT AND STAFF DEATHS, INCLUDING THE FATAL STABBING OF A STUDENT IN A HALLWAY.

MICHAEL HOUSTON JOINS US.

HEY, CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD TO BE HIRE.

>> Cathy: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE A PERSON OF COLOR IN AN INNER CITY SCHOOL AND YOU ARE MINNESOTA'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR?

>> IT MEANS A LOT NOT ONLY FOR ME.

IT MEANS A LOT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THE STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY.

>> Cathy: RIGHT BEFORE WE WENT ON HERE LIVE, I MENTIONED THAT I'M A PROUD GRADUATE OF MINNEAPOLIS SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL.

AND PEOPLE TEND TO LOOK AT INNER CITY SCHOOLS DIFFERENTLY.

HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL?

>> THERE'S A LOT OF NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS ABOUT BEING AN INNER CITY, BUT FOR ME I FIND THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE MOST THOUGHTFUL, MOST PERSONALLABLE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE.

ONCE YOU BREAK THROUGH THE BARRIER AND KIND OF BUILD THE TRUST, THEY'RE WILLING TO SHARE A LOT OF THEIR STORIES, PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, THEIR PERSONAL TRIUMPHS AND ALSO THEIR VULNERABILITIES.

>> Eric: HOW HAVE YOU FOUND, KIND THE CLICHE STATEMENT IS, THE STUDENTS DO BETTER IF THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE HEAD OF THE CLASS WHO LOOKS LIKE THEM.

HAVE YOU FOUND THAT TO BE TRUE.

>> WELL, FOR A WHILE, I'VE BEEN BEEN THE ONLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN TEACHER AT HARDING.

AND RESEARCH SAYS THAT 30% OF OR THERE'S AN INCREASE OF 30% OF STUDENTS IF THEY HAVE ACTUALLY A TEACHER THAT LOOKS LIKE THEM IN THE CLASSROOM.

>> Cathy: YOU ARE A MATH TEACHER.

AND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WATCHING THIS HOW WHO IS A MAYBE HAVE HAD WHEN THEY WERE KILLS MATH ANXIETY.

WHAT'S THE SECRET TO MAKING MATH FUN FOR STUDENTS?

>> I TRY TO MAKE IT RELEASED VANLT.

THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, I WAS REFLECTIVE ON WHAT I WAS BRINGING INTO THE CLASSROOM.

AND WHAT I FOUND IS THAT OUR KIDS WERE REALLY DEFICIENT IN FINANCIAL LITERACY.

AND SO I INCORPORATED A LOT OF PERSONAL FINANCE INTO THE CLASSROOM.

AND OVER THE YEARS, 'VE ALWAYS BEEN REALLY FOCUSED ON BUILDING A COMMUNITY WITHIN MY CLASSROOM.

AND I ALSO ADD IN A LITTLE HUMOR.

SO I THINK ALL THOSE COMBINATIONS HAVE REALLY BUILT ENGAGEMENT OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

>> Cathy: YOU MENTIONED THE PANDEMIC.

SO MANY TEACHERS HAVE LEFT THE PROFESSION.

I MEAN, THAT IS A LOT.

THAT'S A LOT TO HAVE JUGGLED DURING THAT PANDEMIC.

I KNOW, FOR SURE.

A LOT OF BURNOUT.

WHAT KEPT YOU GOING?

>> HONESTLY, THE STUDENTS AND THE STAFF.

AGAIN, WE HAVE THE MOST AMAZING STUDENTS.

AS I SAID, AS LONG AS YOU CAN BREAK THROUGH THEIR BARRIERS, THEY'RE SO THOUGHTFUL.

THEY'RE CARING.

YOU JUST LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT THEM AND WE'RE RICHLY DIVERSE, THE SCHOOL, AND THE STAFF IS AMAZING, A LOT OF WHICH I'VE BEEN TEACHING WITH FOR DECADES AND THEY COME TO WORK EVERY DAY DEDICATED TO TEACHING OUR DIVERSE STUDENTS.

>> Eric: WHAT'S THE SECRET TO IMPROVING SAFETY?

>> I THINK FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT'S ADDING MORE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.

BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR KIDS ARE HURTING RIEFTHURTING RIGHT NOW AND ALLING THOSE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO HELP THEM TACKLE WHAT'S GOING ON WILL HELP INCREASE OR WILL HELP TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS MUCH MORE SAFE.

>> Cathy: HOW HAVE KIDS CHANGED >> I MEAN, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES, BUT ARE THEY GETTING WORSE?

WHEN YOU STARTED 20 YEARS AGO -- MUST BE VASTLY DIFFERENCE.

>> IT IS, AND OBVIOUSLY DEALING WITH THE PANDEMIC, KIDS WERE COMING IN WITH A LOT MORE TRAUMA YA..

THEY'RE ALSO DEALING WITH ANXIETY, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL ISSUES.

SO WE NOTICED THAT AND WE ALSO WANT TO Z PART OF MY PLATFORM I WANT TO ADDRESS THAT AND BE AN ADVOCATE OF BRINGING MORE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

>> Eric: IN 19 YEARS, I WONDER IF BURN OUT IS AN ISSUE FOR YOU, AND THIS HAS REALLY LIT A FIRE UNDER YOU, HAVING THIS OPPORTUNITY?

>> I MEAN, TEACHING IS TOUGH.

BUT IT'S THE MOST REWARDING CAREER THAT I CAN THINK OF.

THERE ARE TIMES OBVIOUSLY I NEED TO TAKE MIETD DAY.

BUT OVERALL, I KNOW I'M IMPACTING LIVES.

>> Cathy: I WAS GOING TO SAY, HOW DID YOU GET INTO THIS FIELD?

>> ACTUALLY, BY ACCIDENT.

AT CONCORDIA, WE ONLY HAVE, LIKE, THREE MATH MAJORS AT THE TIME, FINANCE, BUSINESS AND EDUCATION, BUT IT WAS MY MATH PROFESSOR, DR. KEYINGER THAT CAME INTO THE CLASSROOM.

HE HAD SO MUCH PASSION AND ENTHUSIASM FOR THE TOPIC, FOR THE SUBJECT HE TAUGHT, AND SO THAT WAS SO INFECTIOUS FOR ME THAT I WANTED TO FOLLOW IN HIS FOOT STEPS.

>> Eric: WE'RE GOING TO WATCH YOU VERY CAREFULLY TO SEE WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR PLATFORM AND THE GOOD IDEAS