This year, math teacher Mr. Zach Roberts, won Teacher of the Year at BNI with his patience and passion for teaching. He prefers coffee over tea, fall over spring, and the lake over the ocean.
Mr. Roberts has been a teacher for 8 years, and feels that teaching is a gift he possesses and feels called to the profession. His mother was a teacher, and he was a tutor through the Indian Ed program at his high school.
As teaching becomes more difficult, Mr. Roberts continues to believe that students “need good teachers” and “good role models,” and hard times shouldn’t get in the way of “helping kids be their best…selves.”
A student who voted for Mr. Roberts for Teacher of the Month this year said, “He is so funny and always brightens my day and makes math so much fun.”
Mr. Roberts has a strong theme of respect in his classroom, noting that students “should expect me to be respectful of them, not just them respectful of me, and then students [should be] respectful of one another.” He believes this expectation makes a good teacher, along with shutting out the noise “and focusing on your why.” He also stresses the importance of having conversations with students “as human beings who respect one another,” as opposed to calling students out for their behavior in front of their peers.
Mr. Roberts’ favorite memory from being a teacher is getting invited to speak at the baccalaureate of his first group of students. He also loves the “daily silliness” that his students bring, and “just kids being kids.”
Mr. Roberts is a shining example to his students, and allows them to become the best versions of themselves in a colorful environment full of hands-on learning, respect, patience, and passion. Moreover, another student who voted for Mr. Roberts for Teacher of the Month said, “He’s really nice to the staff and students, I know the others are too but he’s just different.”
BPS is lucky to have such an incredible educator, and the honor of BNI’s Teacher of the Year is well deserved. Congratulations Mr. Roberts!