For as long as in can remember, I have always understood math–until I stared high school. Freshman and sophomore year I completely lost sight my understanding of math. I got average grades, but nothing compared to what I used to get. After getting a D in advanced algebra sophomore year, I knew my understanding for math had vanished.
Junior year, I decided to retake advanced algebra. I thought it was going to be the same situation as the previous year: I wasn’t going to understand it. I wasn’t going to pass. I wasn’t going to like it. But, was I wrong!
Ms. Bower showed me the fun side of math. She used different examples to explain one equation. We never used our math book or did homework out of them, which helped because the book can get very confusing. Instead, Ms. Bower used Lesson Master worksheets and created her own real life scenarios to help us understand what we were learning. Our note packets were clean, organized, and easy to comprehend. She also had a lot of extra credit opportunities. Everyday in class she had little five question quizzes after we take notes. These were to not only to see who understood the lesson, but to also get the students thinking about the lesson and earn extra points.
Ms. Bower is a busy person: she is head of student senate, a basketball and soccer coach, and she works out after school everyday. But she always finds time to help me when I don’t understand. In fact, she made time before, during and after school to help out any student. I no longer have Ms. Bower as a teacher and she still helps me when I ask for it.
I would come in to her room everyday for lunch and just talk with her about life, friends, and boys. She became more than just a teacher to me. In a way, she became a friend.
Ms. Bower showed me in high school and in life, you get back what you put into it. No good grade comes without effort. Without having Ms. Bower as a teacher, I would have never been about to get a final grade of 104% in a class, and actually have fun learning. Ms. Bower is the epitome of what every teacher should be.