By D’Randa Hooks – OwlFeed

https://twitter.com/writingdranda

In my opinion, Ms. Parker is a teacher that is pretty well know on our campus. Many people associate her with her popular roles as the varsity volleyball coach and student council advisor.

But as her time at Agua Fria exceeds 10 years we should look into what it means to her to #BeAnOwl. In my interview with her she begins to explain but is lost for words. She then takes a moment to express the greatness of the community and says, “That it runs deep within the school and its alumni and meeting people who have attended Agua Fria over 20 years ago is a comforting feeling of strong community”. To Ms. Parker, being an Owl is submerging yourself in a culture that looks out for those around you and helps all and anyone in need.

Her immense pride in Agua Fria translates to her own experiences in teaching math to her students. Ms. Parker believes the hardest part about teaching math is the fact that students don’t exactly sign up for her class. It is a core class so sometimes people may not be excited to enter it. Encouraging excitement in her math classes is one of her main areas of focus.

However, these obstacles never defeat Ms. Parker drive to change those in fixed mindsets who think with a closed mindset about math. Ms.Parker approaches students who struggle with care she believes the solution is to, “Keep working with these students and show them I personally care about their success.” This is because she realizes the potential in new technological advances to aid in her new approach to create a more interactive classroom. This includes the new class set of Google Chromebooks in which she was given to help her students relate and learn math in a way they can personally understand.

The math department is made up of people like Ms. Parker who truly care about the success you attain in your life. Ms. Parker sympathizes with students who struggle and don’t believe in their own personal intelligence. However, her love for teaching always shines through to let those who feel lost find their way. She believes that none of her students should ever feel alone and makes sure each and every one feels cared about and comfortable in her classroom and presence.

So, if you see Ms. Parker in the hallways don’t hesitate to say, “Hello,” because no matter what class I may enter or switch out of I know after being in hers she’ll always be on my team cheering my all the way to success.