What makes the best teacher? This is a question that I have always asked myself since the beginning of middle school. Is it someone who knows how to write a bunch of nonsense on a white board? Or is it someone who hands out useless pieces of paper to every student? I am ashamed to have had to wait until my senior year of high school to find the most impactful teacher, Mrs. Klun. 

Mrs. Klun teaches multiple classes but is currently my 9th period Accounting teacher at Arrowhead high school. To me she is more than just a teacher. She is a friend. A supporter. A guide. An attentive person who cares enough to ask me “how are you doing Andrew?” every single class. Even something as simple as that separates her from every other teacher I have ever had. 

When I first met Mrs. Klun it was easy to tell she cares more about the student rather than herself. When she found out my grandmother had passed away she was the only person to ask if I was okay and how the funeral went. I never expected this. A teacher who cares. A teacher who not only cares about her students and their day to day lives. But also cares enough to make sure her students are mentally checked in. 

“What's wrong Andrew?” Is the first thing she says when she can tell I have had a long day. When I walked into class, I didn’t even have to say anything before she was concerned about what might be going on in my life. On many occasions if she knows any student had a long day she lets us have a “brain break.” Which is where she sacrifices her class time to give our brains some rest. In which I do not know many teachers willing to do that for their students.

She shows that she cares about students throughout every class, whether it is asking questions about future plans, giving suggestions and guidance, asking about the game last night, or your plans for the weekend. She is the easiest teacher to talk to and she and all of her students share many laughs throughout the semester.  Oftentimes it feels as if I am just talking to a friend rather than a teacher and that is something that I have never experienced before. Throughout all of the ups and downs that the long semester brings, Mrs. Klun has never failed to always bring a smile to my face.