He’s walking the same halls he did six years ago, but now, instead of being a student and going to class, he teaches a class of his own.

Mr. Matthew Haley is the newest addition to the math department after graduating from Triton only six years ago. Although Haley is used to being a student at Triton, he is ready to teach. He has dreamt of being a teacher from a very young age, as early as elementary school. Now, coming to his classroom and seeing all of the faces “was almost like a surreal moment,” said Haley. Since he was a student at Triton only six years ago, a lot has changed.

One of the first things you’ll notice walking into Haley’s room is the BC flag across the front of his desk. Haley went to school at BC and you can find him there most weekends at either the football games and tailgates or the BC hockey games.

After college, Haley was living in Cambridge and is now in the process of moving back closer to home.

Haley may have only had what seems like a short break from Triton, but just like students, that first day was nerve-racking.

“When you’re going through the motions to become a teacher, you can do student teaching, you can take classes, but until you actually have your own classes, it’s very different,” said Haley.

Teaching is not cut out for everyone, you really have to want to teach in order to be a teacher. Fortunately for Haley, that is not a problem. He has wanted to teach from as early as second and third grade.

“I always had it in the back of my mind I wanted to be a teacher,” said Haley. Haley has always had a pretty clear idea that he wanted to be a teacher. When previous teachers said they saw him going into law or medicine, the standard career paths, Haley said, “I always had it in my mind that I was going to be a teacher.”

Haley teaches multiple math classes, one of which is algebra. Will Smith, a freshmen to Triton this year, is in one of Haley’s algebra classes and while math is a hit or miss class for some, Smith said, “he’s good at getting the class involved” and “he’s very engaging and helps kids who may be struggling.”

Mr. Benjamin Colby had Haley in his pre calculus class during Haley’s senior year. Colby said that Haley was “kind of quiet, very motivated. He’d always get his work done. He was willing to help others if they needed it.” Now, Colby said that Haley is funnier today and that he’s doing a great job so far.

Haley, while not new to Triton, is new to teaching here. After only the first few weeks of school, Haley said that Triton has a lot more school spirit than it did when he went.

Even though this is what Haley has always wanted to do, during the first week of school, it most certainly is exhausting. While ordering his regular sized coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts, the employee told him, “You look like you need a large.”