Spartan Showcase: Johnathon Taylor
As an 8th grade student in Gary, Indiana, Johnathon Taylor was captivated by the concept of equality in mathematics—how two sides of an equation that look completely different can hold the same value.
That fascination proved so compelling it shaped the course of Taylor’s future, leading him now to doctoral work on categorical homotopy theory in the Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Statistics at Case Western Reserve University.
Though his research focuses on higher-level mathematics, he often revisits the basics as a tutor in the Math Corps program, a mentoring program that began in 1992 at Wayne State University and started at CWRU in 2016.
“The most rewarding part of teaching the youth is when they start showing curiosity and asking questions,” said Taylor, who just completed his fourth year in his PhD program. “Curiosity is a prerequisite to do great mathematics.”
Taylor joined the program in early 2024, teaching an innovative course to 8th graders on Saturdays. In addition to teaching traditional mathematics concepts, Taylor built bonds with the students by playing chess with them. He has gone on to work with 7th graders on infinite series and high schoolers on calculus and the fundamentals of set theory.
Learn more about Taylor’s own educational journey.
Answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
1. What drew you to CWRU?
I grew a love for higher category theory as an undergraduate under my advisor Tony Elmendorf and, under his recommendation, I came to Case Western Reserve to complete my PhD under Nick Gurski.
2. What do you enjoy most about math?
In some sense it is less of a science and more of an art. I find the beauty of math is being able to understand how to construct things that have the properties you want in the same sense an artist does on their canvas.
3. What interested you in getting involved with working with youth to learn math?
From the time I was in middle and high school, I loved assisting my fellow wrestlers in the wrestling team so that they could actually compete. Seeing my peers light up when they could understand the material made me so happy.
This love really deepened in my undergraduate program when I was given opportunities to help middle schoolers and undergraduates and graduates of different backgrounds at Purdue Northwest. I have a fond memory of helping a graduate student in mechanical engineering through a proofs course in my junior year of my undergrad and then an hour later helping an 8th grader through their algebra homework.
My volunteer efforts kind of died out a bit when I got to Cleveland until last winter when I saw an opportunity to work with Math Corps as an instructor and I took it without hesitation. Educating people and sharing the joy of mathematics has always been something that has made me smile.
4. What is the best part of the experience?
The best part of teaching youth is giving students the support they need and giving them the chance to learn higher mathematics, which is what I wish I had as a kid.
5. What have you learned from the experience?
I have learned to take my time more from my experience with kids and to always meet people where they are individually and toward the median with large groups of people.
