by Viviana Gonzalez Chavez

“And then you’ve got your answer,” JHS algebra and geometry teacher Cory Densford said. The time was 2:30 p.m., and Densford had taken the time to stay after school in order to help his fellow students with their questions. Many students gathered around him, some of them not even from his class while others accompanied their friends. 

“I knew I wanted a job where I could help people. I decided on teaching because I had good experiences in school and I had a lot of really good role models throughout my time as a kid,” explained Densford.

It’s his twelfth year of teaching at JHS, 11 of those years also sponsoring the school’s Game Club. After studying for a career in education at Indiana University Southeast, Densford began with primary teaching, until he decided kids were just not for him. Soon after, he came to teach here where he once attended as a student as well. 

“It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to give back to the school that made me who I am,” he explained. “JHS also provides so much freedom in how you teach. It’s really easy to do what’s best for my students.”

Densford not only teaches six math classes a day but also stays after school almost everyday for homework help and to answer questions from students who’ve already gone home.  

He spends a lot of time in person and online, guiding those who may struggle to keep up. From the moment he walks into the classroom to the second he walks out, students will always find him speaking with them and helping answer their questions. 

“It’s one of my favorite things about his teaching style. I liked that he would put a problem and work it with us, if you had questions he would answer them and dive deeper. He was a very thorough teacher and never left me with more questions.” said sophomore Kaniyah Woodley, a former student of Densford’s. 

Woodley also described times when she felt like Densford was more than just a teacher, when he was a friend, someone to have fun with. She recalls a time when cupcakes were brought in as a ‘goodbye’ party for their student teacher at the time, Garett Nash, stating, “It felt like he (Densford) was a student with us, having a good time, laughing and joking about simple things.”  

She also goes into detail about times when class wasn’t so simple, when things were hard for her and her peers. Being a teacher during these times can be difficult, having to draw a line of professionalism as students begin to grow up and face harder challenges. Despite this, many classmates still felt that Densford was always uplifting. 

“I have bad test anxiety and when it came to geometry tests, I was always really anxious. Mr. Densford always noticed and sometimes during the tests he would use encouraging words to help me feel less stressed about it,” she explained. “It was always very nice, especially because he never made us feel like anything less than the students we knew we could be. He never raised his voice and was always very respectful, sometimes even playful with our class.” 

Having a job in which working alongside teenagers is essential, guiding them and helping them reach their goals can be demanding. He describes the struggles many teachers from all schools face: How do you motivate a kid who doesn’t want to learn?

Especially in the morning, when students are just waking up? Challenging as it may be, Densford harbors no ill feelings towards the job. 

“Oh I love it… they’re all different. Day to day,  period to period, kid to kid, it always keeps it interesting. It’s not the same exact thing, monotonous day in, day out, and that’s what I like about it.”

He also described the little moments in class that make it all worth it. He details prideful moments, where students triumph over their hurdles, the moment in which he succeeds as a teacher and allows students to problem-solve their way through conflicts. 

“Favorite part is getting to hear kids explain something that they figured out on their own. I mean I lead them there, but they make the final conclusion. Seeing them put those pieces together and just seeing in their face like ‘Oh wow, this is so much bigger than I thought it could be,’ that’s a cool moment.”

As if to speak from experience, he also illustrates a similar incident from his very own teen years with JHS math teacher Shadd Clarke. 

“I had him for two years; he’s the reason I became a teacher, it’s what made me pick teaching… It’s one of the things he’s the best at, is showing you, giving you the tools and getting you to that place. And that meant a lot to  me as a kid because I had been handheld in other classes, just spoon-fed all of the material, all of the conclusions, and it never clicked why stuff worked.”

Similarly, Densford has also heavily influenced educators around him. Nash, his fellow geometry and algebra teacher, also speaks very highly of him. 

In the second semester of the 2023-2024 school year Nash, through a program at IUS, was working as a student teacher with Densford for four months. Nash recalled the overall experience of working alongside Densford.

“It was fun, he shaped what I try to model my classroom around, and he helped me while I was student teaching. He gave me a lot of freedom if I wanted to try something new, experiment… he was just a good role model.”

Now his own teacher, he recognizes many similarities in the ways he teaches. Nash also details goals he has, things he’s seen happen with Densford that he, too, wishes to accomplish. 

“I see kind of how the students respect him a lot, that’s kind of what I’m trying to strive for, what inspired me to become a better teacher.”

Having seen so many students grow up, it can be very nostalgic for a teacher to see them grow up into adults, seeing them achieve the things they worked so hard for. This comes as no surprise to someone like Densford, who left an uplifting impact on many of his students.  

“It’s always cool seeing kids turn into the people you knew they could.”

Densford said shaping these future leaders is ultimately what his class is all about, guiding them into becoming people who can problem solve their way through any challenge. 

“I want to make kids into thinkers. That’s what makes you successful in life, I think. People that can think their way through problems and not have to be handheld, it’s hard especially at first… that’s the impact I want to have on any of my kids, is that they can just pause, take a step back, look at the big picture and think about what’s going on.”

“I want to make kids into thinkers. That’s what makes you successful in life, I think.”

Math Teacher Cory Densford

by Ricky Cummins

Math teacher Cory Densford sits down, elbows on knees, helping two students with their math assignments. He also answers questions from other students about games, assignments, and sports. These activities in his daily life align with his life philosophy.

“My main goal is to help as many people as possible and be happy while doing it,” Densford said.

According to this philosophy, Densford enjoys and takes pride in helping others.

“They talk about love languages, and acts of service are mine. That’s how I show people that I love them. So with teaching, it is effortless to do that because there is so much you can do for a student to help them.”

Densford even carries this philosophy into his daily life outside of school.

“At home, my wife and I take turns doing dishes and cleaning out the cabinets. I would even do her turn if she’s stressed out. I guess the result motivates me to keep doing stuff that feeds that cycle,” he said.

Using this technique, Densford can maximize his teaching capabilities and minimize his teaching mistakes.

“Teaching has helped me a lot with stress management. It’s all about compartmentalization. I only let myself worry about stuff that I can directly affect.”

Math teacher Garrett Nash mentioned that Densford played an important role in helping him become a better teacher.

“Last year when I was student teaching, I learned many good ways to make math more comprehensible,” Nash said. “He is also one of my role models when it comes to teaching.”

2024 graduate Draco Konno mentioned that the Games Club, which Densford runs, helped him de-stress.

“It’s a great way to relax and have fun. Densford manages it in a cool, chill way to create a relaxing atmosphere.”

Densford created a similar atmosphere in the classroom, which led to the inception of the Games Club.

“My very first year teaching, I had this group of kids playing Yu-Gi-Oh, so I brought Magic in, and they taught me Yu-Gi-Oh. I taught them Magic. So, I let them come back later that day, and that was the start of Games Club,” he said. “The next year we wrote our charter, got approval, and even received some funding to buy games, and that’s how we started.”

Densford’s realistic and motivational words are his specialty.

“As a teacher, you have to find out what your insecurities are and make them your armor. Low-hanging fruit is what kids are going to pick.”

FYI: Cory Densford Nicknames:	Densford
Age:	33
Favorite Sports team:	Indiana Pacers
Favorite Tv Show:	South Park
Favorite Movie:	Anything Horror
Growing Up:	Here in Jeffersonville
High School:	JHS
College:	Indiana  University Southeast
Favorite Book:	Malazan Books of The Fallen