blue shirt khaki pants

Okay, I’ll admit this wardrobe match was not coincidental this time. This photo was taken on Twin Day, one of the campus dress-up days for Homecoming Week.

Nevertheless, it gives me a long-overdue opportunity to say wonderful things about Ms. Laila Kamel:

This is Laila’s third year teaching mathematics at Coppell High School, and her second year teaching AP Calculus BC with me. Not only that, but she has now partnered with me on the IB Mathematics team this year.

What makes this situation even more special is the fact that Ms. Kamel is a former student of mine, having endured my IB Math class in 2017. She graduated from CHS that same year.

Working with Laila in Calculus and IB Math is a truly wonderful experience. We have a lot of fun together, but we’re also equally serious about giving our students the best possible learning experience.

Watching Laila transition from a protégé to a natural leader has been an enjoyable experience. It’s comforting to know that whenever I decide to retire, the responsibilities of IB Math and BC Calc will fall into extremely capable hands.

Chase Cairns is one of the unsung heroes of the Math Department. He knows his math, he loves his students, and he has a keen ability to balance everything that comes with being an amazing teacher.

But because he’s tucked away in one of the less populated hallways of the school, he’s not as visible. And he’s quite okay with that. Chase is the kind of teacher that wants his students to learn, enjoy the learning process, and experience success. That’s it. He needs no accolades or recognition, just the look of joy on a student’s face each time they make a mathematical connection.

I’ve had the opportunity to watch Mr. Cairns teach a few times and I’m always impressed with how naturally he can explain any concept, and how supportive he is of strong learning. If he notices several students approaching problems incorrectly, he is quick to step in and discuss the issue with the class without making any of his students feel foolish.

Outside of class, I enjoy chatting with Chase. He has a dry wit and humorous outlook that makes for riveting conversation. He has wisdom beyond his years and shares that wisdom openly and comically.

Chase is a wonderful teaching and a true friend. Any opportunity to spend time with him is an opportunity to be in the company of pure brilliance.

Parmida is a student in my Calculus BC class this year. She is one of those students that every teacher wishes they had in their class: one who enjoys learning, works hard, and helps others. She doesn’t seek perfection or that “extra point” to elevate her grade. She only seeks to enjoy the learning process and acquire as much knowledge as she can. Her relaxed attitude towards my class sometimes baffles those who are more grade-hungry, and inspires those that realize that calculus is more accessible than they thought, if they are willing to put in the effort.

It was just by coincidence that Parmida happened to wear that oh so stylish color combination of blue and khaki to my class. It was one of my other students that saw this as a perfect opportunity to post the event on this blog. While I always look for ways to spotlight some of my more favored students, it is truly a pleasure to write about her. It’s an honor to get to know her this year. While she may wish to fly under the radar at times, her perseverance and humility make her stand out to me as one of the more admirable students in my class this year.

Taylor Smith-Bothun has been in our district for a long time, but this is his first year at our high school where he serves as the associate principal, second in command to Laura Springer.

Taylor does an amazing job of countering Springer’s “love every child” philosophy with his own “hold every child accountable” philosophy, creating a perfect balance for student life on our campus.

Even in the short time I’ve known him, we have had many conversations about what works well on our campus, including how easily he has found his place in the group of fine leaders that walk our halls.

I have to say that Taylor rocks the blue-and-khaki as impressively as I do, but he does it more sparingly than I do. I look forward to many more impromptu discussions with Taylor, and I’m excited that he is a part of our amazing campus.

Margaret Otto is a recent addition to our campus, and to our department, and I can confidently state that not only has she adapted to the environment, but she has also made it a happier and more fun place to be.

I got to know Margaret last year when she was a student teacher. Immediately I could tell that she had perfected a balance between mathematical acumen and comic levity. She can be serious about math concepts and at the same time have a light-hearted and silly conversation about something utterly meaningless.

To say Margaret is talented is an understatement. She has a natural understanding of her content, but is always willing to learn more about the subtle nuances of the most complicated mathematical concepts. And at the same time, she is the personification of joy and fun, a combination which is hard to find.

Up until this picture was taken, I was unfamiliar with the French cut, which is how she wears her buttoned shirts. It’s a look that I could never pull off, but I’m quite okay with that.

Congratulations on your excellent taste in color choices, Margaret. I’m so excited to be working with you this year, and I look forward to many more years sharing wisdom and laughter.

One of the brilliant minds in the English department, Richard Orlopp is as kind-hearted as he is wise. Richard and I are both teachers in the IB Diploma Programme on campus, so we work closely together quite often. His wry sense of humor is very entertaining, and his insight into his craft is extremely astute.

Besides being close coworkers, Richard and I are very good friends. Another commonality we share is that we both married accountants who get along just as swimmingly, even though the constant discussion of spreadsheets can be a little much at times.

The four of us have socialized together on occasion. Richard and his wife are regular guests at our annual murder mystery party, not just because we like them, but also because we know that they will always exceed our expectations in costume preparation and character portrayal.

If I wore a hat as often as Richard does, I would tip it in honor of my colleague and friend, Richard Orlopp: a clever man and a loyal comrade. Any student that has him as their teacher is truly blessed, and anyone who has even met him once should consider themselves very fortunate.

Dana DeLoach is one of the few teachers who has been at Coppell High School longer than I have. She made quite an impression on me when I first arrived, and served as Team Lead on our Geometry team in my earlier years. Since then, we have worked side-by-side, we have been hallmates in two different parts of the building, and we have learned a lot from each other over the last seventeen years. We share stories of those who have come and gone, and how education as a whole has changed over time.

Recently, we worked together on AP Calculus BC. And while things got frustrating enough for her to repeatedly exclaim, “You’re killin’ me, VanderSchee!” we were both on the same page as to how we should approach meaningful learning in our classes.

Her love of teaching and her love of students are to be greatly admired. It is clear that she enjoys teaching math to young minds and enjoys getting to know the variety of personalities in her classes. And no matter how challenging the work environment gets, she is consistently cheerful and positive, with a lively laugh that can be heard clear down the hall.

I have so many fond memories of working with Dana, and I know there will be many more in the years to come. Her students are lucky to have her as their teacher, and I’m equally lucky to have her as a friend.