Serious and intimidating were my honest first impressions of Ms. Lucas. However, I eventually came to realize that these were all far from the truth. My initial impressions gradually lessened after I adapted to her unique way of teaching. Although Ms. Lucas has only been my teacher for a few months, she has become one of my favorite and most influential teachers.

First of all, Ms. Lucas is compassionate. She not only offers insight on problems from college essays to personal issues, but also enjoys having personal conferences with her students whenever they need them. Never have I ever encountered a connection so strong between a teacher and her students. When Ms. Lucas first reprimanded me after distracting others, or when she first castigated me for not paying attention, I was generally upset and ignored what I perceive to be personal attacks. Soon, I realized that her “attacks” were actually signs of care. By pointing out her students’ flaws, she encourages them to become better people. Not to mention, her affectionate smile creates a very open and welcoming environment in the classroom. Every few weeks or so, she dedicates time for a community circle. The community circle is therapeutic as it allows students to express their familiar stress and frustrations through either games or simple discussion.

Her commendable personality, however, only shows a glimpse of her magnificence. She is magnificent for her teaching method. She facilitates self-learning through reflection. Reflection allows her students to personalize their studies, make applications of what they learned in class, and think of ways to improve for the future. Reflection gives meaning to her assignments. Whether it be in essays or situations outside of the classroom, everything her students do in class becomes a valuable lesson. Furthermore, her teaching is not strictly grounded in the AP curriculum. Instead, she presents group collaboration and assignments that widen our perspective on certain questions, whether it be how the simple knocking in Macbeth somehow expresses a variety of feelings or how the syntax in another line is so significant. Ms. Lucas also displays a strong sense of patience. No matter how many times her students fail to answer her questions, she always encourages deeper learning by guiding them towards the right answer. Moreover, she has never failed to remind me of the benefits of time-management and relaxation. Unlike most other teachers, she has taught me lessons beyond the scope of formal education.

It is still difficult for me to fully comprehend all of the benefits from Ms. Lucas’ method of teaching; nevertheless, all I can say is, I like it. Ms. Lucas has opened my eyes and widened my perspective. She allowed me to doubt myself and see my flaws, then motivated me to resolve such limitations. Overall, she made me into a better person. And for these lessons you’ve taught me, I truly thank you, Ms. Lucas.

-Justin Cun, 12, Pow Wow, Sports Editor