First hour plus math equals failure. When you’re still dreaming of Jude Law, the concentration level of discovering when train A gets to platform B is nonexistent. Knowing my past history of number malfunctions, I did not have high expectations for advanced algebra. It was going to be another class with mind-numbing notes and perplexing worksheets. I would be looking at the clock every sixty seconds. That was my prediction, until I saw Ms. Bower jumped from behind her desk to greet us.

Every morning, she would have mathematical games on the Smart Board to get our brain juices flowing. She made sure the questions weren’t too hard, that way we wouldn’t give up and wait for the smart kid to figure it out. Her spunky teaching style was as energetic as her caffeine addiction to Starbucks coffee. She was able to keep the class’s attention up until the last few minutes of class. Realistically, that’s impossible for a teacher to achieve.
The ultimate sign of comprehending a subject is being able to teach it. I understood the material so thoroughly in class, I was able to help out my struggling neighbors with problems and not give them the wrong answer. That semester was history in the making. I got A’s on all my tests. When it came down to finals it wasn’t, shoot I never actually learned this stuff. Instead, I was able to recall equations that were taught the first few weeks of school. She taught the material in real life situations that were easy to understand (instead of the standard text book lingo). Even the next year in functions, when math became hieroglyphics again, I was able to remember some of her strategies. I was disappointed when I did not have her as a teacher the next year. However; I was still felt comfortable walking into her classroom and receiving help with my new homework.
Ms. Bower stands out because she made an impact not only in my knowledge for math, but she also influenced my personal life. She coached the cross country team, basketball team, and she even found time in her life to organize and run our school’s student senate program. She was someone students could relate to. Many times, when I would come in for help on a problem she would be talking to another student about their life dilemmas. Ms. Bower was a Sudoku whiz who gave the comfort of a best friend’s ear. She would help me with my problems or insecurities about the future. If I ever needed assistance or reassuring, she would always find a way to help with a positive attitude.