Georgia magnet school students call longtime math teacher "the GOAT" for his classroom approach
At Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology, Dr. Chuck Garner has spent more than three decades teaching math, inspiring students and helping them see how numbers connect to the real world.
The longtime educator has earned a reputation for making challenging concepts easier to understand. His students even call him "the GOAT" — and while his impressive collection of ties has also earned him some recognition, it is his approach to teaching that leaves a lasting impression.
"I have so many ties that I can wear one, wear a different one every day of the school year," Garner said.
Senior Rebekah Sistrat agrees that the ties deserve some attention.
"His ties. Glorious! Glorious collection of ties. I just want to say that!" she said with a laugh.
Inside Garner's classroom, students tackle complex equations, but they say his ability to break down difficult concepts makes math feel more intuitive.
"Just the way he explains things is like, it makes everything very intuitive," said junior Francisco Rodriguez.
Senior Neil Sethi said Garner's teaching has helped him build confidence in a subject that was not always his strongest.
"He'll be willing to sit down and explain it to me, and it helps me as well, because math used to not be my strong suit, and I'm getting better at it thanks to his way of teaching," Sethi said.
Garner's influence extends beyond his current students. Julie Matthews once sat in his classroom as a student. Today, she teaches math at Rockdale Magnet alongside her former teacher.
Matthews said Garner encouraged her when she needed reassurance about her abilities.
"He was like, no, you are really good at this. You can do this. And so that's why I'm here," she said.
Garner believes many students have talents that go unrecognized, whether in academics or other areas.
"There's a lot of brilliance that goes unnoticed. And I think, sometimes it's academic brilliance that goes unnoticed, but other kinds of brilliance goes unnoticed," he said.
He tries to create a classroom where students feel comfortable asking questions and pursuing their interests, regardless of whether they plan to study math after graduation.
"Just don't be a jerk. Just, you know, just be nice and just be open to whatever their questions are," Garner said.
Rodriguez said that encouragement makes a difference even for students who do not particularly enjoy the subject.
"He's really, like, encouraging in everything that you want to do. Like, he emphasizes, like, even if you're in his class and you don't like math. Like, whatever you want to do. Like, he's there to support you," Rodriguez said.
Garner also emphasizes how math applies to everyday decisions, from managing money to understanding taxes.
"He like puts that into perspective with, like, taxes with, like, real world things that we're going to have to do when we go to college," Sethi said.
For Sistrat, Garner has helped inspire her own academic goals. She plans to major in math and computer science and considers her teacher a role model.
"I get a lot of inspiration from him. He's like my idol here," she said.
After 32 years in education, Garner said the most rewarding part of the job has little to do with equations or textbooks.
"Getting to know young people as they emerge into adults and seeing what they blossom into is amazing. That's the thing that does it," he said.
For Garner, the greatest measure of success is watching his students discover their potential — both inside the classroom and long after they leave it.
