Instructor Does Equations by Day, Floors by Night at Merced College

Charles Peterson is probably one of the few college instructors in America who cleans up the same room in which he teaches.

Mornings, Peterson explains algebraic equations from a Merced College classroom podium.

But by nightfall, he changes into a navy blue uniform, grabs a mop and returns to the same classroom as a janitor.

Peterson, 44, a janitor at Merced College for 15 years, went back to school and was graduated from Merced College in 1985. He got a bachelor’s degree in mathematics this June from Cal State Stanislaus.

“You sit there in a classroom and you notice that the lights are flickering, and you think, oh no, I need to change that bulb,” Peterson said of his time as both a student and custodian at Merced College, a two-year school.

He added that he often wanted to tell students to pick up paper they dropped on the floor or to be careful with their sodas in the classroom.

Peterson said he is looking forward to teaching two mathematics 24 courses this summer, adding that he never thought he would be teaching in classrooms when he started working at Merced College.

Peterson decided to take his first refresher math course when his son began taking algebra in high school.

“How can I help him, I thought, when I don’t even remember what I had,” Peterson said. “So I did the course in a short period of time.”

Peterson then continued taking math courses.

‘Lot of Encouragement

“Once people find out you want to do something, they are willing to help,” he said. “I got a lot of encouragement.

He plans to teach through the fall semester at Merced College, then get his credential so he can teach at the high school level. Peterson eventually hopes to get a master’s degree so he can teach full time at the college level.

He could then give up janitorial work.

“Right now I have to continue to work at night,” he said. “The part-time teaching pay is just not enough.”

The janitor-math instructor seems comfortable with his diverse roles.

“What I want to do is help people--share my knowledge with someone else. That’s my goal,” he said.