Ms. Bower

Entering into junior year, I wished it would be my last of high school. But there was one thing I was excited for -- I actually had a class with my boyfriend. It was my tenth hour Advanced Algebra class with Ms. Bower. Walking into her class, I thought great -- a preppy, loud, overly-excited teacher...my favorite thing…
But I was quick to learn Ms. Bower is much more than that. She is a diligent mathematics teacher (teaching both Algebra B and Advanced Algebra), a knowledgeable technology integrator, a proud Student Senate Co-Advisor, and a loving Girls JV Soccer Coach.
I’m not sure many teachers -- much less math teachers -- could hold my attention while my boyfriend sits next to me, but Ms. Bower did. She even had me turning to “HUSH!” him, just so I could turn back to her and listen. She makes math engaging.
I could see and feel her passion in her excited voice, in the passion in her eyes and smile, and in the jump in her step. Everyday she made us laugh. Ms. Bower created a friendly environment in which no student was embarrassed to ask a dumb question. She was patient with her students, and any questions we had.
In fact, her patience never ceased to amaze me. I stayed after school for extra help at least once a week. She jumped at the chance to help. Like a single mother with eight kids, turning her head this way and that, she was able to help all of us do our different homework. In the end, the other students and I left school with a smile.
In her classroom, Ms. Bower uses a unique teaching style called a Flipped Classroom. For homework, her students watch a YouTube video of her teaching how to do the new unit. The next day, the class would review this unit. She is determined to use the most modern, best way of teaching, as well as integrating every learning style (auditory, visual, and kinesthetic) within each unit.
The Flipped Classroom made it possible to hammer information into my head. After we reviewed the unit in class, we would do our homework, sitting in pods so we could ask our group questions, if necessary. Ms. Bower, instead of returning to her own computer to do other things, would approach each and every pod to ask for questions, proving she cared to help each one of us individually.
Ms. Bower and I quickly became friends--something I thought impossible between student and teacher. One time, she mailed each of her students letters, joyfully proclaiming how wonderful we are, and how well we all were doing in her class. She took the time to get to know not only the names, but also the personalities of each one of her students. She even nominated me, of all students, to make the prom ticket!
My boyfriend and I haven’t had another class together since Ms. Bower’s math class. But I don’t mind--I have a newfound hope in teachers. There’s a reason I entered Ms. Bower’s class with C’s in math, and emerged with an A. She must have taken notes when she was in high school of all good things in a teacher, because when I was in her class, I couldn’t help but think -- yes, finally! A teacher who understands!