Math and I never had a splendid relationship. It was rocky to say the least. I never understood what was going on, and I didn’t have any interest in the subject. This all changed in the second semester of my junior year, when I had the privilege of having Miss Trina Bower as my Advanced Algebra teacher.
My first semester of Advanced Algebra didn’t go well. I had a different teacher I wasn’t particularly fond of, and his teaching style didn’t mesh well with my way of learning. I didn’t enjoy math one bit first semester, and having it in the wee hours of my morning schedule didn’t help, either. When second semester started, I vowed I would do better in math. Since I changed teachers, I knew having a clean slate to start over on was essential. But I had no idea how great the rest of the year would be with Miss Bower. She was always so upbeat and outgoing, and she always knew how to relate to her students. I ended up getting the best grade I had ever gotten in a math class that semester: a B+, and it was all thanks to Miss Bower.
The thing that amazes me the most about her is her ability to balance and take on so many things. She is the head of the Student Senate, she teaches six classes a day, and she organizes our entire Prom. On top of that, she is also getting her Masters Degree, which isn’t an easy task. She is always on the move and always doing something. But she still manages to help her students understand math. She gives up her lunch hours to help students, before and after school, but she is still upbeat and happy.
Math isn’t an easy subject for everyone. It has details and rules that may cause problems for some people. But Miss Bower makes any student feel good about their abilities to understand the subject. When students think math is impossible, she makes them think it is possible, and it can be done with just the right amount of courage, focus, and help. Miss Bower provides all three of those things, which is why I am nominating her for educator of the year.