Teacher Appreciation Week is here, and teachers all over the world are being celebrated for their hard work and dedication. Faculty at Grayslake North are reflective of meaningful experiences with students.

Math teacher Jennifer Rich loves teaching to help her students see that math is not as daunting as it first seems. She is very organized, easily relatable, and she loves when her students keep in touch with her after high school. Rich views this a big teaching success because she knows that she has impacted the students and forged a connection with them.

“In my classroom, students are expected to behave properly and to participate during class,” Rich said.

P.E. teacher Bobette Byrne enjoys working with kids and being active. Being different from a traditional classroom setting, her P.E. classes have an unstructured and free atmosphere.

“Most kids deal with stress from school or home. I love to release stress through exercise and having fun,” Byrne said.

English teacher Molly Tomlinson had two amazing teachers in high school that motivated her to pursue a career in education, and she is now in her tenth year teaching. Tomlinson believes that cell phones are a classroom struggle that disconnect students from learning and socializing. It is an everyday challenge to face the issue of cell phones, but she has learned to be patient and understanding toward her students.

“The ability to show empathy and [be] understanding has really helped me become a better teacher,” Tomlinson said.