Where do you teach? Scott High School, Kenton County
What subject(s)/grade(s) do you teach? Geometry, Accelerated Geometry, pre-college algebra, Dual Credit College Algebra
How many years have you taught? 15 years
Why did you become a teacher? I became a high school math teacher because I loved math in high school and through college and I also enjoy learning about people and helping them grow and succeed. I also wanted to show girls that they can be good at math and succeed in math-related fields. I was one of the only girls in some of my math and computer science classes so I really wanted to motivate more girls to take these classes.
What has been the best part of teaching that you didn’t expect when entering the profession? The best part of the profession is how much I have been able to learn and grow in not only teaching math but also in building relationships with others. I have truly become a life long learner. I did not expect to be constantly pushed to be better every day and I love that. I also did not expect to form such close relationships with my co-workers. It is a completely collaborative profession.
What is one thing you wish non-teachers knew about what you do? I wish non-teachers knew how much time outside of the school day we put into planning engaging lessons, thinking about how to better teach or engage, grading, thinking about student misconceptions, and thinking about our students well being and lives.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as a teacher? Winning the Milken Educator Award in 2019 was a complete surprise and a complete honor.
What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t teaching? My favorite thing to do when I am not teaching is spending time with my family. I have two daughters and I enjoy giving them experiences like going to the park, zoo, or on walks. I also enjoy practicing yoga.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? I would teleport so that I could travel to different parts of the world without having to lose time to travel and money to the expense.
Social media handles: @lauragcole13 (Twitter)