Hocking shares his love of math with students past and present

Ron Hocking has a calculating mind, and it has been integral to his career in mathematics.

He started plotting his profession in high school.

“I always liked math and wanted to apply it some way,” Hocking said.

“I’ve had two careers -- 60 percent education and 40 percent industry. That’s really advantageous -- I’ve been on the other side of the desk and put that to use,” he said.

His most recent teaching position is as an adjunct faculty member at Metropolitan Community College in Fremont. Six years ago, he started teaching beginning and intermediate college algebra there.

“He has a unique ability to connect with students of all ages and levels,” said Todd Hansen, executive director for Metro’s Fremont Center.

Hocking graduated from Hastings College with a math major and physics minor.

During his junior and senior years in college, he worked as an aide for the Agricultural Resource Service. He helped with soil sampling while performing rote math.

He tried to work faster than the calculators.

“To combat boredom, I’d try to get the answers (first) -- correct to the nearest tenth,” Hocking said.

Back then it took 10 or more seconds for the machine to do the calculations.

“It’s not any fun now. Zap, and it’s (the answer) right in front of you,” he said.

His first assignment was at Des Moines Lincoln High School. He earned a master’s degree in educational administration from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Hocking and his wife, Freda, married in 1966 and are the parents of two grown children �” Gregory and Brenda.

“In the late ’60s, I made a decision to try industry,” Hocking said.

He worked for Hormel Foods Corp. as an industrial engineer, production supervisor and wage and salary administrator.

“All three involved a lot of mathematics,” Hocking said.

“At Hormel, as engineers, we waited in line to use the big, old electric calculators.”

He retired from Hormel in 1983.

“I wanted to return to education,” Hocking said.

He taught math at Fremont High School from 1983-2002.

After the regular school terms ended, he divided his time between summer school and painting.

“Teach in the morning and hit the ladder at 1 p.m.,” Hocking said.

He returned to Fremont High for one semester in 2003.

“I helped start a program -- Enhanced Learning Opportunities in Math (ELOM). I worked with Terry Snyder to get that implemented,” he said. “I worked with students in areas of deficiency.

“Mathematics -- it’s the language of science. That’s why I get excited about math. I personally think it’s one of the most important areas. In today’s world, we have to look at things with a quantitative mind.”

For example, Hocking explained, when students get far enough into psychology or nursing studies, they run into statistics.

Mathematical errors can be minor -- or a matter of life and death in areas such as working with pharmaceuticals.

He wants his students to grasp the material.

“I will stay to the nth degree -- come early and stay late,” Hocking said. “That communicates to students a genuine caring for them. I’m interested in what they do and their success.”

“He walks though all the problems, step by step,” said Beth Howell of Fremont, a first-year student at Metro.

Hocking enjoys the community college experience.

“Class size averages 12-13 students. That’s easier from everybody’s standpoint,” Hocking said. “Everybody here is focused and has a goal.”

Another positive -- he’s had rave reviews from students at Metro.

“He was my sub several times in high school. He’s a fantastic teacher,” Howell added.

Metro wasn’t Hocking’s first experience teaching college-level courses.

“I taught on and off at Midland (Lutheran College) for 10 years -- math (teaching) methods, part of the education program,” Hocking said.

“He’s a role model for those who want to go into the teaching profession,” Hansen said.

While it’s algebra in the classroom, Hocking relies on the angles of geometry while hunting and fishing.

He also enjoys gardening, spectator sports and community service.

“Ron is just a good human being,” Hansen said. “He’s active in his church, he cares about people -- and it carries over into his teaching.”