Studies show that math is the most feared subject in school.
But a Northside Independent School District teacher is dedicating herself to helping students overcome that by building confidence.
As the Math Department Coordinator at Holmes High School, Patricia Menchaca chooses to teach students who are struggling.
"(I'm) teaching them that math is not as scary as they think it is," she said. "They have the tools to do it, but sometimes they just need the confidence behind it."
Her students say her teaching methods make a big difference.
"She just taught me a different way to learn math," said senior Daniel Lawless, who has been in Menchaca's class all four years in school. "Now I understand it, and now I pass all my tests."
That's the result she's hoping to get for all of her students, Menchaca said.
"Students struggle for a variety of reasons, but it all comes back to confidence in themselves," she said. "These are the students that I feel if I could just get them over that one hurdle by having one teacher who believes in them whole-heartedly, I get them back on the right track."
Senior student Renee Hernandez is thrilled to be in the class.
"Out of my whole life, I've never had a teacher like her. When I was younger I never got math. I had never passed a math TAKS," she said. "All last year, Mrs. Menchaca worked with me, I went to all her TAKS Blitzes and I passed my exit level. It's a big thing for me and I was really excited."
Menchaca said Renee just needed confidence.
"She just needed someone to stick with her and say, 'I'm not going to let you fail,'" Menchaca said.
Menchaca could take a higher paying job but chooses to stay in the classroom.
"This is where I can make the biggest difference -- teaching these students to never give up on themselves," she said. "Failure is not an option. That's the philosophy I have."
It's a philosophy that's helping many students enjoy success for the first time.
