When I think back on all the teachers I had during high school it’s hard for me to pick out one that I found inspiring or motivating. This is certainly not because of a lack of quality teachers in upstate New York. I can think of at least five teachers that had a great impact on my life and singling out only one to write about is a tough decision. So with all due respect to the many teachers that I love, I would like to talk about my 11th grade math teacher Kim Bolster.
What is amazing about Ms. Bolster, or B as we fondly called her, is that she is the type of teacher that students have respect for in the class room and outside of the classroom. So many times when describing a teacher to a fellow peer I’ve started with “he/she seems like they would be a great neighbor, but just can’t teach very well”. Or on the opposite end of the spectrum “he/she is a really hard teacher so I’m sure I’ll learn a lot but I hope I never have to talk to them outside of class!” Ms. Bolster however, is a rare fusion of high expectations, respect and caring.
Her Math 3, 11th grade course is all but easy. For myself, math has never been a strong point and as I got older it only got harder. By the time I was a junior math had become an arch rival that I was ready to eliminate simply by passing the required courses. Ms. Bolster knew this. She could see it in my face when I struggled with problems in class, she could see it in my test grades and she knew this because she took the time to know me. She knew that my favorite classes were English and French. She knew that I spent 3 hours a day at field hockey. She took the time to know who my parents were and who my friends were. What amazes me is that she didn’t care that I wasn’t “math and science orientated”. If anything my lack of interest in math was all the more motivation for her to get me interested in the subject and show me that math didn’t have to be torture.
She spent countless hours after school and on her free periods with myself and other students that needed the extra time. She made sure that everyone in the class was participating, without embarrassing or putting pressure on anyone. I can remember in many of my other classes teachers seemed satisfied with the class as long as it was quiet and there were no disruptions. For me this meant I could doze off or finish work for other classes while my teacher droned on at the board. This was never possible in Ms. Bolster’s class room. For one, she made her lessons interesting enough that I would usually pay attention on my own and if anyone wasn’t focused she would notice right away and be sure to pull them back in to what the class was doing.
When it was obvious that I needed more help outside the classroom Ms. Bolster set me up with a private tutor once a week. This was a blessing and made all the difference in my final grades. What I admire so much about Ms. Bolster is that she wasn’t satisfied with me receiving D’s to B’s and merely passing the course. She holds all her students to very high standards and will do whatever it takes for them to achieve what they are capable of. One of life’s greatest lessons I learned from Ms. Bolster’s class. Not everything in life comes easy, it’s not acceptable to only succeed at the things that you’re naturally good at. Some of the most satisfying rewards are from accomplishments that take incredible perseverance and will power.
-- Maureen Daniel, American University