The News
Thursday 25 of April 2024

Mexican "Spider-Man" Weaves Web of Knowledge for Science Students


Moisés Vázquez, 26, known as Spider-Moy, a computer science teaching assistant at the Faculty of Science of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), who teaches dressed as a comic superhero Spider-Man, adjusts his mask before leaving home in Iztapalapa neighbourhood, in Mexico City, Mexico, May 27, 2016,photo: Reuters/Edgard Garrido
Moisés Vázquez, 26, known as Spider-Moy, a computer science teaching assistant at the Faculty of Science of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), who teaches dressed as a comic superhero Spider-Man, adjusts his mask before leaving home in Iztapalapa neighbourhood, in Mexico City, Mexico, May 27, 2016,photo: Reuters/Edgard Garrido
Moisés Vázquez dresses up as the superhero to get his students excited about science

A Mexican science teacher has come up with a novel way to get his students’ attention — giving lessons dressed as Spider-Man. Moisés Vázquez, 26, said he was inspired to pull on the tight blue and red suit of the superhero after reading in comics that the Marvel character behind the mask, Peter Parker, worked as a science teacher after his time as a freelance photographer.

“I do the same job as anyone else, I don’t think it’s the best class in the world just because I put on a suit. But I assure you I want to be the most honest and dedicated there is, I just want to make the classroom a better place,” he said.

Moises Vazquez, 26, known as Spider-Moy, a computer science teaching assistant at the Faculty of Science of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), who teaches dressed as a comic superhero Spider-Man, poses for a photograph during a class in Mexico City, Mexico, May 27, 2016. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido SEARCH "SPIDERMAN TEACHER" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "THE WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Moisés Vázquez poses for a photograph during a class in Mexico City, Mexico, May 27, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Edgard Garrido

When giving class at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) as the superhero, Vázquez leaves home in eastern Mexico City with his mother’s blessing, and rides in public transport to the prestigious seat of learning dressed as the Avenger. Vázquez’s family originally thought that pretending to be Spider-Man could hurt his career when he started donning the suit for class a year and a half ago — but instead the unusual turn has gone down well with students and other teachers, he said.

“Obviously they reacted with surprise, but they were happy too,” Vázquez added.

“Everyone was smiling at me.” On the streets of the megalopolis, people are generally surprised to learn the Mexican superhero is a university lecturer, assuming that his outfit is part of a film shoot.