Her challenges led her to teaching

Ms. Maddy Heisler has been teaching math at Armijo for four years and has loved every moment of her job.

“When I was younger, I had a hard time understanding the concept of math,” Ms. Heisler said. Now, as a teacher, she recognizes the students who suffer the same struggle. “I want to help better my kids’ learning process,” she said. Growing up, she knew she always wanted to be a teacher just she was just not sure about what subject. When she made the connection with her challenges, she knew that math would have to be what she shared with current students.

What keeps Ms. Heisler motivated is her desire to help. Her students influence her by engaging in conversation. When they have those moments of understanding a concept and noticing that they can do it, her heart feels warm, knowing they believe in themselves, just like she does.

Ms. Heisler’s favorite thing about teaching is the relationship between her and her “kids”. She is a math teacher who effectively explains the lessons without making her students feel overwhelmed. She breaks down the lessons and waits until everyone is on the same page before moving on.

If she could share a thought with students across the campus, she said, “Always remember that you have people on your team who want you to succeed. All you have to do is reach out and get help. We believe in you because we know you can do it.”