English teacher helps students through stressful and challenging AP lang class
May 7, 2015
From Jenna Adkins:
English has always been one of my favorite subjects whether it be reading novels or reading articles. Being in Pre AP English my Sophomore year got me excited for AP Lang until I heard a few things about the class. Everyone I asked said it was super hard and it got me a little worried and frazzled about signing up for the class.
We got summer homework which one component was writing and email to the teacher, Ms. Laurie Fay. The first thing I noticed was she actually replied to my email. Most teachers who assign that just put it into a folder and forget about it, but not Ms Fay. She wrote back saying how she loved reading as much as I did and how she played soccer in high school also. She not only made it seem like we have more in common but she addressed the fears about the class that I had.
After reading her email, I began to become more excited for the class. As the class progressed, she pushed us to be a better students and to be prepared for anything. She picked books that were actually interesting to read, unlike some teachers who pick books no one really wants to read.
As the year progressed, I found myself being able to open up and talk freely with her without the worry of being criticized. She adds humor and excitement into class every day which makes the students happy to be in her class.
Although AP Lang is difficult Ms Fay helps us along the way and helps with anything. Thank you Ms Fay for being an awesome teacher and a wonderful person. Oh, and also she has an amazing shoe collection.
From Jared McClellan:
Being in your class has helped me break out of my shell, and you have made me realize my true potential. I have always enjoyed being in a class with personable teachers, and you are one of those teachers.
The sass you contain in your little finger is more than most people have in their whole body, which is the main thing I can appreciate about you. Being a sassy person myself, I can use my sass to help me grow as a person which is what I admire about you about. I have so much respect for what you do and how you do it.
The preparation students get in your class is helpful for the real world. I have never been in a class where I can be myself until I got to yours. My junior year would be thrown off balance had I not been placed in AP Lang, or as I like to call it the best class of my life.
The class has thrown me many curve balls in regards to my grade, and also resulting in my spending many sleepless nights drowning from tears, but it has all been worth it for my great experience I received from you and your class.
The connection between student and teacher is one thing I know you care about, so I just cannot put into words how much I appreciate the impact you have made in my life. You have taught me that grades are not everything and that life will not always be in my favor.
I especially care about the connection we have such as the nickname you have for me. We are both very sassy divas and I always look forward to third hour because of the sass overload.
In short, thank you Ms. Fay, thank you for being a caring teacher who actually teaches her students real world solutions and problems. I honestly cannot put into words what an amazing impact you have had on my life, I cannot thank you enough, but I could thank you more if I had a silver shield.
From Olivia Biondo:
From the time the 7:20 bell rings, Ms. Fay’s class is intriguing and captures the attention of all her students. Her AP Lang class is challenging, there’s no doubt about that, but with the patience and hard work of Fay and all her classes, success is not hard to find.
Ms. Fay is a wonderful teacher, although sometimes the work may get to be pretty vigorous and time consuming, the end result is all worth it. Being prepared for the AP test is not something to worry about in Fay’s class, with the teaching methods she uses, she makes sure each and every one of her students are ready. Being in Ms. Fay’s class has created an experience I will never forget. It has been a journey leading up to her class, being in all the Pre-AP and honors English classes, but that journey has led to something great.
AP Lang has taught me a lot, and thanks to Ms. Fay, it has helped me to not only improve in her class, but in my other classes as well. With every discussion, multiple choice passage, and timed write, I have been able to connect with the class and learn more than I thought possible. Ms. Fay is a wonderful teacher, and anyone who gets to take her classes are lucky.
Influential genetics teacher shows students her aim for success in the classroom
From Katie Crank:
Mrs. Rowe,
You are one of the most influential teachers I’ve have had in high school. You are one of the kindest people and show how much you want to help your students succeed.
I remember two years ago on Halloween when you dressed up as a chromosome for halloween and had telomere shoes and I thought it was so cool in such a dorky way. You are a role model for me and you have taught me more than about genetics. You helped spark my interest in researching random health things in depth with the quarter projects and introduced me to things like the tiger book and told me about a bunch of summer healthcare camps.
I never thought that I would like genetics so much but it was one of my favorite hours of the day (even though i wasn’t very awake during 1st hour). Thank you for being a great teacher and showing me what options are open in healthcare and research — also for the bagels at HOSA meetings. Your involvement in things like the Greenway Network and talking about going on a hike with the HOSA group inspires me to live a healthier life along with studying health science.
I’ll be honest: I was scared of AP Government (and Mr. Beckmann) before I ever set foot into his classroom. I’d heard from his previous students that not only was the AP test difficult, but that his class was exhausting. Plus, I had no interest in politics and was dreading spending a year learning about it.
But on the first day of school, every worry I had quickly disappeared. Mr. Beckmann’s easy going nature and obvious passion for the class made me realize it was going to be much better than what I had envisioned. Throughout the year, his class has challenged me and made me a better student overall. My dislike of politics slowly dwindled and Gov became one of my favorite classes. Mr. Beckmann has a way of making government and politics interesting and tying in real stories and current events to make it bearable.
Yes, his class is very rigorous, but not without reason. Mr. Beckmann is one of the few teachers I have come across that truly wants his students to succeed. He has such a huge heart for his students (which is weird because I don’t know how it fits in his tiny torso). He has taught me lessons to help prepare me not only for the AP test, but the real world. Also, Mr. Beckmann is scary. In fact, now that I’ve spent almost a whole year in his class, I’m even more terrified of him.
Years from now, when I look back on my high school career, I will no doubt remember Mr. Beckmann, whether for good reasons or bad. He has taught me the value of having a voice, a quick wit, and working hard. So thanks for that, Mr. Beckmann. All these words still probably aren’t enough to express how totally appreciative I am of you, but thanks. You rock.
Theatre teacher pushes improvement on students and gives a new perspective to the fine art
During a student’s schooling career, they meet many teachers and see many faces. Some touch their lives more than others. I have been lucky enough to meet multiple teachers who I know for sure have changed my life for the better. If it wasn’t for the wisdom they gave me and their constant encouragement I wouldn’t be the person I am today. One of these teachers will always hold a special place in my heart is Mrs. Cori Nelson, teacher and theatre director here at Francis Howell Central. I could probably write a whole essay on how much she means to me and how much she has inspired me.
Mrs. Nelson has opened my eyes to aspects of theatre I never thought I would be good at. She pushed me to improve and helped me with anything that I had questions with. Along with teaching me and helping me she also showed me the importance of doing what you love and being happy with what you have accomplished in life.
I remember coming in multiple rehearsals after a long day or even coming into her class after a hard day or morning and my whole mood being able to turn around. Her words of encouragement and advice helped me so much and gave me a new perspective in not only theatre but life in general. Her words of wisdom and her belief in her students have gotten me through the ups and downs of senior year.
It has been such a pleasure to be able to get to know a wonderful woman like her, even though it has only been a little less than a year, I know for sure she has left an imprint on my heart.
Art teacher helps students express their creativity
Mrs. Milos
What is an art teacher? An art teacher can touch the heart of students and send the love of art surging through their veins as soon as they walk into the classroom. They show the students how to express their creativity and put a splash of color into each and every day.
Mrs. Lisa Milos, a teacher passionate for art, is definitely on my list of people I look up to. Day by day, I look forward to my Drawing 1 class. I look forward to walking into room 247, with the smell of paint and clay wafting around the room; the drafting tables splashed with accidental acrylic paint marks; and most of all, Mrs. Milos’ welcoming smile.
Every day, the seventh hour drawing class is greeted with enthusiasm, as Mrs. Milos walks in after the bell rings and tells us what we will be doing that day. It’s not just Ms. Milos’ constant positive attitude that makes the class so enjoyable; she connects with her students. She shows us that we are all capable of making incredible art and that we all have potential.
Much like Mrs. Milos, I love art. I love how I can convey a message through something as simplistic as a couple lines on paper or as complex as a life-size sculpture. I’ve known for a while that I’ve wanted to go in an artistic direction for college and an occupation. Mrs. milos has definitely helped me with that. She encourages not only me, but the majority of her students to see the world in an artistic way; to focus on the little details that could easily be missed; to have a colorful outlook on the world around us. She’s encouraged us to visit art museums to get a feel of the different styles of art. That’s what I consider a great teacher and a wonderful role model.
Thank you, Mrs. Milos for making every day a fantastic one.
English teacher sets time aside to help students comprehend material they are struggling with
Ms . Young
I’ve never had Ms. Young as an actual teacher but she was willing to reach out and help me when I needed it. I was really struggling to comprehend a book that we bad to read in English class. After tweeting about how I didn’t understand it, Ms. Young offered to meet me during seminar. She sat down with me and went through the book chapter by chapter and helped break it down. I finally understood the book and was able to get better grades. Even though I didn’t have Ms. Young as a teacher she was willing to give her time to me as a student.
Chemistry teacher makes the sometimes monotonous, subject entertaining and fun
From Cadence Bippen:
Mr. John Kozlowski is a teacher who cares about his students, and his students know. By the first week of school, I knew I was in good hands and well on my way to learn about chemistry. He does the simple things that make a huge difference to a student; he explains examples thoroughly, and always stops to make sure we understand.
He answers every question he can, and even if he has already gone through it, he will try a different way until the student can get it. He gives back every worksheet and test, and gives opportunities to fix what you did wrong. He does things as small as asking how our weekends were, which not every teacher takes the time to do.
I admire how in his tests, he applies the concepts to real things we experience on a daily basis. Instead of just giving a random chemical formula, he will give the formula for a common gas that is used for something we know about.
When he tells his jokes, I sometimes feel like I am the only one who laughs, and I don’t necessarily laugh because I feel bad for him, but because they are so bad they are funny to me.
His class is one of the only that I feel like I learn something in virtually every day. And even when he teaches something useless, he lets us know that as well. Today he said “knowing about the size trends of atoms will not help you at all. It will neither increase nor decrease your quality of living.” His students appreciate the honesty!
Thanks for a great class, Mr. Koz! Even if your manilla envelopes terrify me, I still look forward to sixth hour every day!
From Beth Weirich:
Signing up for chemistry junior year was a little frightening, I’m not going to lie. Chemistry has never been my strong suit, being more of a biology person. Having Mr. Kozlowski as a teacher definitely made chemistry an enjoyable experience for me. He is able to take a subject that is not always the most exciting, and turn it into something you want to learn more about.
Because of him, chemistry as well as science in general have become more interesting. He’s very engaging and you can tell he cares about the success of his students. His passion for the subject he teaches is evident. His bad chemistry jokes and puns would probably have to be one of my favorite things!
Usually there’s not much laughing going on in a chemistry class, but in Mr. Koz’s class there is. He is very knowledgeable in his field and wants his students to be able to learn about an important subject in our world. He is always ready to help a student review for a quiz a test, or put in the extra effort to help a student succeed. Koz is an awesome teacher that any student would be lucky to have.
Room 139 Publications teacher sparks inspiration and determination towards journalism
From Ashley Marlo:
Mr. Schott has been my role model since day one. I have had the privilege to be his student all four years of high school. He not only tries to make me a better editor and student, but he’s always looking for ways to become a better teacher.
The first time I walked into room 139, I was taking Photojournalism as a freshman. I knew Schott and I would get along because of his sarcastic sense of humor and relaxed classroom. What I didn’t know is how much this room would mean to me. After a semester in his class, he invited me to join Yearbook and with his encouragement, I moved my way up in Publications.
Now I’m a senior and I have been an editor for two years. His strong work ethic has taught me that there is always room for improvement, and that it’s okay to step out of your comfort zone. He has inspired me, and I genuinely hope I can be the leader for others the way he has been for me. I don’t think I would be where I am today without his consistent belief in me and my abilities.
Words can’t describe how hard it’s going to be to leave room 139, but I know I will be able to take what I’ve learned from Schott and put that towards growing as a photographer, and a person.
Thank you Mr. Schott, for being such a great teacher for me and many others!
From Eden Gundersen:
Dear Mr. Schott,
I don’t even know what to say that would express how much you’ve helped me through these past two years. From being in your journalism class to being an editor, so much has changed since I came into your first hour as a freshman. I’m pretty sure you only put up with me last year because I’m Sean’s little sister and you kind of got me dropped on you. But I think I’ve held my own so far and I can’t wait to be an executive editor so I can bother you even more. I’m going to work really hard for that. But yeah, I really want to be a journalist when I grow up and I wanted to be one in like, eighth grade, but you kind of cultivated that when I moved here. Like, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with it and now I have more of an idea. I don’t know, I’m just really glad I have you as a teacher. You’ve helped me improve as a journalist by making me rethink and reorganize my ideas numerous times. I know I whine about it but I’ll try to be less annoying next year. Maybe.
I really don’t even know what else to say because I’m really bad with talking but whatever. I know I’m one of your favorites and I’ll give you crap about it until the end, trust me. Thank you, Schott.
From Becca Abrams:
My sophomore year I made the decision to join Publications. Prior to my decision, I knew who Matthew Schott was. Well, sort of. I had been in his classroom a few times and I had mad respect for him because his music taste was amazing. My mentality from that was he had to be a rad soul considering his music is rad.
I really didn’t know what to expect going into newspaper. I was nervous because it was something I’ve never done before and I didn’t really know many people in the class. However; from the very beginning, Mr. Schott made it very clear that his classroom would be a place for positivity, hard work, and communication.
In all honesty, I think my favorite thing about Schott is his sarcasm and extremely dry sense of humor, I guess that’s because I’m the same way. I will say; however, that I feel personally victimized because he has hated every headline that I’ve written. Although, I can not blame him because “Merry Gift-mas” and “Or-nah-ments” are probably the worst headlines my brain has come up with, SO FAR. Yes, that’s right. There will be plenty more to come.
Pushing his views of my headlines aside, Schott is one of the better teachers that I have had in my three years of high school. He actually listens to your thoughts and ideas and it’s refreshing to have a teacher who really listens to what you have to say.
Even though Schott may come off as someone who is sarcastic 24/7, he knows when his students are having a rough time either personally or with their work and he is definitely someone whom I’m comfortable speaking with to help through any rough patches.
Choir teacher creates a positive environment in the classroom with her passion for music
From Ilene Holder:
Think of the perfect teacher. One who has the passion of a thousand suns, the dedication of an emperor, the amount of love in all of Cupid’s arrows and the comfort of an older sibling or favorite family member. Someone who has one of the most beautiful personalities ever known. There is one person in particular that comes to mind when I think of the teacher who does their best and is one of the best.
This person is someone who tends to be looked up to by the young ones and even the ones who are considered veterans of the organization. There’s no one who can compare to this person because they are just that unique and special. Any time spent with this teacher is time that will be cherished for the rest of my life, especially since their work is going to help part of my future.
My person is the amazing Mrs. Elisabeth Baird, who has been working hard for years to make sure she does her best when it comes to teaching and directing the choirs. She is the best teacher I have ever had. The amount of growth I have had over the past four years is in part due to her. If Mrs. Baird had not pushed me to stay in choir my freshman year, I would not be in choir and I cannot explain how much that upsets me.
I remember the day when I was about to quit. Mrs. Baird had the most heartbroken look on her face, but she didn’t talk to me negatively, instead she tried to remind me of all the good memories I had in the choir room during my first year. She continued to work on making me stay for the next few days too, she never gave up.
For that, I thank Mrs. Baird a thousand times over. Without her determination and dedication to me and the program, I would have missed out on one of the best things that I have ever experienced. There is so much love and appreciation for Mrs. Baird. Without a doubt, there have been ups and downs, but I can’t imagine having anyone else as my director for the last four years, nor would I ever. An infinity of thank yous to the phenomenally lovely Mrs. Baird.
From Sarah Lupescu:
I love singing; it’s something that I feel that I’m good at & it’s always fun for me. When I started high school freshman year, I knew that I was going to join choir. Mrs. Baird is the choir director and I love going to choir everyday because of her.
She is the funniest, kindest person ever and I love being in her class. She is so easy to talk to, and I literally tell her everything. I feel like over the years, because I am a junior now, I have really gotten comfortable there and the choir has become a second family to me.
She is always there for me and she has gotten to know me, and it’s really nice to know that she genuinely cares about me and my life. Mrs. Baird has a passion for music, and it’s really inspiring to me and the rest of the choir. She uses her passion for music and always pushes me to do my best.
Singing everyday is the best thing ever because I love learning new songs and Mrs. Baird knows how to make it fun for us, but she also knows when to keep it serious and get to work. Recently our choir went on a trip to Atlanta, and I definitely feel like I learned more about music, and my love for music and choir grew even more. I appreciate her so much and everything she has done for me, and she is really important in my life.
Spanish teacher makes learning the language an activity more than a daunting chore
Ms. Wager was my Spanish teacher from freshman to junior year. She’s the reason I’ve stayed with Spanish so long and would like to continue. My third year of Spanish, along with other classmates, I didn’t want to keep going because language was getting harder and I didn’t want to learn from a different teacher. Ms. Wager agreed to teach Spanish 4 if enough people would sign up for it, so she pushed for everyone to keep going (even started sending people to Guidance to make sure that they put Spanish 4 in their schedule).
She’s one of the few teachers I’ve seen that seems to genuinely care if her students keep with it and don’t let it become a forgotten skill that they can’t remember anymore.
It was the only class where I wasn’t excited when it ended every day, and had to study in order to avoid the embarrassment of not knowing a vocabulary word in front of the entire class. Because of her class and style of teaching, I learned to love language and want to be a Spanish teacher just like her.
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