Math Professor Teaches While Holding Baby of Student Who Couldn’t Find a Sitter

Social media can give us a glimpse into the contemporary classroom. From tweets detailing inspiring teaching methods to screenshots of a professor's tearjerking thank you note, posts on various platforms prove that there's no shortage of amazing educators today. The latest teacher to be thrown into the social media spotlight? Nathan Alexzander, a 34-year-old math professor who offered to selflessly care for a student's baby during class.

Last week, Wayne Hayer, a new father enrolled in Alexzander's class at Morehouse College, couldn't find a babysitter to watch his daughter, Assata. Unsure what to do but unwilling to miss class, he decided to bring the young girl with him. As Hayer arrived with his “special guest,” he was warmly welcomed by Alexzander, who went above and beyond to support the young dad.

“As one of my peers walked into the classroom with his child in arms he quickly explained to my professor that he couldn’t find a babysitter and had nobody else that could watch her,” Nick Vaughn, another student, explained on Facebook. “My professor said, ‘No problem, in fact I will even hold her so you can take better notes in class.' ” 

For over an hour, Alexzander carried Assata, who he bounced, patted, and even inadvertently lulled to sleep. “When she started falling asleep, I told the class, ‘I guess I’m being boring right now,' ” Alexzander recalled to Buzzfeed News. After the lecture, some of Alexzander's students took to Twitter to share the sweet story, which has since gone viral.

Firda Amalia Hayer, little Assata's mother, also used social media to praise both Alexzander and the public for supporting the young couple. “Seeing the outpouring of support from friends, family, and strangers for Assata and Wayne is a sight to behold. I can feel the genuine love and enthusiasm,” she said. “Thank you for encouraging us to continue to push forward. Thank you to black educators like Dr. Nathan Alexander [sic] for your compassion and understanding.”

When a young father brought his baby to class, Professor Nathan Alexzander went above and beyond to make sure his student had support.

h/t: [Hello Giggles, Buzzfeed News]

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Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. An art historian living in Paris, Kelly was born and raised in San Francisco and holds a BA in Art History from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and France 24) or simply taking a stroll with her husband and two tiny daughters.
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