In the 9th grade, I took Geometry. I loved everything about Geometry. It was so different from Algebra which was so abstract. I loved the concrete visuals, the shapes, the theorems and proofs, and the logic behind it all.

I loved that our teacher, Miss Egler, made us keep this fantastically organized Geometry Notebook. I am such a nerd I would rewrite my notes every night so that they looked perfect (rewriting notes is also a great strategy for memorizing information).

Being in the advanced track for math, there were many sophomores, juniors, and a few seniors in my class.

One day Miss Egler asked me to tutor a senior who was struggling. I worked with Wendy every day in a hallway by the cafeteria. At first she was a little resistant to (looking back with teacher eyes: more likely embarrassed about) this freshman girl helping her, but when she realized I was going to give her help and confidence, as well as respect, we became a good team and she ended up making enough progress to pass the class.

This was my first real experience as a “teacher” and I knew then that this was something I could realistically do for the rest of my life.

Lesson learned from a 9th grade teacher: Share you talents with others and see what you gain for yourself.