Teachers, one of the most underpaid professions out there, yet one of the most influential professions out there. It takes a special person to have dedication in such an underappreciated job.

Luckily for the last 22 years, some students have been lucky enough to be blessed with math teacher Thomas Rothery. Like many teachers, it wasn’t his original plan to become a teacher.

Rothery explained, “When I was in college, I was an engineering major at first and while I was taking engineering classes I was also tutoring people and I found that I liked tutoring people more than doing my engineering problems.”

Through tutoring friends and family he discovered he had an untapped gift that he could turn into an established career. His approach to teaching is not like the stereotypical, boring teacher either. He aims to not only make the scary subject of math more comfortable for students, but he also enjoys building relationships with students.

“Teaching has never been always about my personal instruction, in terms of what I enjoy the most, it’s more about what I see beyond that.”

The impromptu moments in the classroom that you can’t make up, the small talk with students and finding out more about every unique character in the classroom.

Senior Austin Fallas has Rothery this year for AP Statistics. That sounds like a hard class that could be intimidating to many.

Fallas expressed, “With the way Mr. Rothery teaches, the math doesn’t seem so hard. Math that would typically be hard with another teacher.”

Rothery is known for his high-energy and entertaining classroom demeanor that makes students’ day better. Instead of wanting to fall asleep in this math classroom, students enjoy interacting and listening to the wit of Rothery.

“It definitely makes class a lot more enjoyable with a teacher that brings that much energy to the room,” said Fallas.  

It seems that Rothery’s mission of wanting to make math less intimidating is a success with many students. He is not only considered as the best math teacher by his current and former students, but one of the best teachers in all their years of schooling.

From the random stories that will come about that will engage the whole class to the food coupons and ads that he will go over with his students. It’s all apart of the amusing experience in room F106.