At Highlands high school, teachers try their hardest to create a safe and effective learning environment for their students. An amazing example of this would be Algebra teacher Abigail McCoy. As a freshman, it was nerve-racking at the beginning of the year to be in a new environment, and it was especially daunting since I hadn’t been very confident with math in the past. But being in McCoy’s classroom gave me a new perspective on math and how to persevere through difficulty.
Since having McCoy this year, my understanding of different aspects of algebra and math has been much clearer because of her effective teaching style. She makes sure to explain the concept we are working on in-depth while taking notes, and she lets us work on practice while still being available for help and questions. This has helped me individually because she enforces the idea that she wants us to be capable on our own, but she also wants to help clarify questions for her students’ understanding.
Along with her effective teaching style, she is always encouraging her students to do their best and strive for excellence. Freshman year can be tough when it comes to keeping up with classes, but McCoy has been encouraging me and my class to do our best inside and outside of school. With guidance and the right tools, she has helped me achieve goals on things such as my STAR Math and assisted in determining how I can progress in other ways.
Along with McCoy providing useful guidance, she also makes it easy to ask questions. If I am confused about a topic, she has made it so I feel comfortable when I may have trouble understanding.
This year has been a good experience for me to create strong relationships with my teachers to ensure that I have a good outlet for support and help when it comes to schoolwork. Being in McCoy’s class has made it easier to do that because of how invested she is in making sure all of her students understand the material.
Although I won’t have McCoy next school year, I will remember all that she has done for me over the past year.
