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About Keith Anderson

Why does Keith Anderson teach? “To feel like I am doing something constructive, to see the tangible effects of my labor, to know that my job is helping people and not hurting them,” he says. A graduate of Vassar College, he received a B.A. in English, Anderson did his graduate studies in English at SUNY Binghampton, earning a M.A.

Anderson enjoys the camaraderie of teaching. “When my school made AYP [annual yearly progress] this year and finally got out of the NCLB [No Child Left Behind] doghouse. It was a true group success, from administrators to teachers to support staff, and made me grateful that my coworkers work just as hard as I do,” he says.

Don’t get angry. That’s the best piece of advice Anderson has received as a teacher. “Most things that upset you in the classroom are funny in hindsight; why not make hindsight start immediately?” he says.

Anderson’s 11th-grade English teacher – Mr. Kelly at the Bronx High School of Science –greatly influenced Anderson's development. “He made me believe I was a good writer and showed me how you can be rigorously attentive and joyfully receptive to literature, both at the same time,” he says.

The person Anderson most admires is President Barak Obama “because I would have lost my temper by now,” he says.

If Anderson weren’t a teacher, he would probably be a rock star. “There’s a part of me that’s very vain,” he says.

Anderson’s favorite book is The Great Gatsby. “I really can’t explain why; it just seems as well-written as a book can be,” he says. “I absolutely hate how it has become a symbol, for many, of the stodginess of high school English. There’s nothing stodgy about it at all; to me it is as vibrant and vital as art can be.”

About Persis Andrews

“I teach because of the light you see in the kids' eyes during their epiphany moments, says Persis Andrews. Her favorite moment, which occurs time and time again, is when “they get it. The puzzle pieces align, and the lights come on in their eyes.”

Andrews, who has spent almost 30 years in the classroom, teaches 11th-grade humanities, a cross-curricular core course, at The Barrie School in Montgomery County. She earned her B.A. in Art History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds a M.Ed.

The best advice she’s received during her tenure as a teacher is: “you can't be their friend. You can be compassionate, friendly, supportive, generous, and friendly, but they need you to be a structure providing guide,” she says. As to advice she’d give to future teachers: “The pay is horrible, the hours are long, you won't have any weekends for the first few years because of the pressures of lesson planning, and you will get very little respect as a professional. However, you can make more of a difference teaching than in almost any profession out there.”

The individual Andrews most admires “changes with the day,” she says. “In general those who use their position to make changes that benefit the world.” She offers as examples: “de Klerk because he had power and gave it up to make RSA a better place. How many people will or have stepped away from holding power? M. Ghandi and Dr. King for providing hope and peaceful change. Obama for showing kids that smart will get you somewhere.”

Her favorite book currently is Three Cups of Tea. “A single person can change the minds and hearts of others. This can make the world a better place,” she says.

About John Chase

“My best moments have been watching certain students turn themselves around, build confidence, and get excited about math,” says John Chase. “On many occasions, I've spent my lunch or my time after school with students, often just doing math problems for fun. It's time well-spent.”

Now in his fifth year as an educator, Chase teaches because: “I love math, and I love people. It's what God has called me to,” he says. If he weren’t a teacher, Chase would probably be a professional juggler. “I worked at Hershey Park for two summers during college, doing a stage show there. These days, I do a few shows each year. Performing and teaching have a great deal in common--more than you might think.”

Having received his B.A. in Math Education from Messiah College in Grantham, Penn., Chase currently teaches math at Richard Montgomery High School in Montgomery County. The best advice he’s received as an educator is to experiment. “Don't be afraid to change your teaching practices on a daily basis,” he says. “Invite people in to observe your class, and take seriously any advice or criticism you receive.”

Chase cherishes the camaraderie he’s found at Richard Montgomery. For example, “One of my colleagues, Mr. Davis, refuses to use stickers, play silly games, or the like, and we like to hassle him about it,” he says. He's an excellent teacher and kids love him, despite his refusal to do silly things. So a few of us, during our planning period, went down and laid siege to his calculus class, forcing the kids to play a game, giving out stickers and candy. The students had a great time, and Mr. Davis loved it too (even if he didn't admit it). These are the kind of teachers I work with, so this kind of thing is somewhat typical.”

About Ronald P. Frezzo

“When it’s good, nothing could be better,” says Ronald P. Frezzo about teaching. As he prepares to celebrate 40 years of teaching in January, Frezzo continues to teach because: “I enjoy working with young people,” he says.

A graduate of The Catholic University of America, Frezzo received his B.M.Ed. and M.M. in Choral Conducting. Today, in addition to serving as choral director, Frezzo teaches IB Advanced Music and AP Music Theory at Richard Montgomery High School.

His favorite moment as a teacher? There are “too many to count,” he says.”But, perhaps [it was] the applause of the parents and kids when I received the Agnes Meyer Award in 2000, tied with the performance of 41 students in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome on our choral tour in 2005.”

Over his four decades in the classroom, Frezzo has received much advice. Two pieces that rank among the best: "If you don't know why you're doing what you're doing, you shouldn't be doing it," he says, and "You may have to start at their level [of musical background] but you don't have to stay there."

The teacher who most influenced Frezzo is Dr. Michael Cordovana, choral director at Catholic University, “who opened a world of musical understanding and sensitivity to a kid without a lot of musical background,” says Frezzo.

His wife Camille is the person Frezzo most admires. “She loves me unconditionally and puts up with my many absences from our home because of my work,” he says.

Frezzo’s favorite read is Bible’s Book of Isiah. “the glorious poetic and musical phrases inherent in the writing,” he says.

About Toni Kellinger

“Letting students know that you care about them will make all the difference,” is what Toni Kellinger suggests to those considering a career in education. The advice stems from 26 years in the classroom, most recently as a teacher of Pre-IB Government, MYP U.S. History, U.S. History, Student Leadership at Richard Montgomery High School in Montgomery County.

Why does Kellinger teach? “Having the ability to interact with students on a daily basis, each period and year presents new challenges,” she says. If she weren’t a teacher, she’d probably be a planner “because I organize so many school events.”

The best piece of advice Kellinger’s received during her nearly three decades in the classroom is that, “Every student is some parent's most important gift,” she says. “After becoming a parent myself I understand the meaning of this tenfold.”

Kellinger was inspired by another teacher, Judy Mills, to teach social studies. She attended Virginia Tech, from which she received a Secondary Education of Social Sciences degree. She has a master’s equivalency, with most classes having been taken at Trinity College.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is the person Kellinger most admires. “His ability to move a nation through peace is unparalleled,” she says.

About Marie Pepper

“I love seeing my students grow academically during the year, and as important as the difference that I make in their lives, they make a difference in mine. I learn from my students every day,” says Marie Pepper, an English teacher at Gaithersburg High School in Montgomery County.

Pepper holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland and a M.A. from Johns Hopkins University. She has been teaching for a decade. If Pepper weren’t a teacher, she’d probably be an editor “because I love literature,” she says.

As a teacher, the best advice she’s been given is to “make long-range plans first, and then fill in the short-term plans,” she says. The advice she would give to someone thinking of becoming a teacher: “Be flexible.”

The teacher who most influenced Pepper was Joe Feldhaus. [He] taught me to love English and showed me how to inspire students,” she says.

The Year of Magical Thinking is Pepper’s favorite book. “Joan Didion's account of the year after her husband died is a fascinating study of the way she dealt with tragedy,” she says.

About Roberta Russell

Roberta Russell – Chef Russell to those at Damascus High School in Montgomery County – teaches because, “I love making a difference in my students’ lives,’ she says. “I have done other things in my life and now that I am a teacher, I cannot imagine doing anything else. “

One of the favorite parts of her job is “helping students who have difficulties in their academic subjects succeed in restaurant management and learn valuable career and life skills,” she says. A graduate of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Russell majored in Liberal Arts/Education and minored in Special Education. She holds a master’s degree in Education/Special Education from Trinity College and has attended L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg.

The best advice she’s received as a teacher is to “keep a collection of letters and cards from your students and on bad days, take them out and they will remind you of why you are a teacher,” she says. The advice she would offer those contemplating a career in education: “Find something positive to say to all students. Be a nurturer.”

The teacher who most influenced Russell was Sister Ambrose, her high school English teacher. “She was a nurturer, and I can still recite a lengthy quote from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, on the ‘quality of mercy,’ that she made me memorize,” she says. “That is pretty amazing considering how long ago it was.”

Helen Keller is the person Russell most admires. “She overcame her disabilities of being a person who was blind and deaf,” she says.

Her favorite book is Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird “because it contains so many lessons about life,” she says.

About Olga Shapiro

Olga Shapiro “loves working with teenagers and impacting their lives for the better,” she says. At Rockville High School in Montgomery County, Shapiro works with students in AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) and the school’s Internship program.

The best advice she’s received during her four years as a classroom teacher is: “Don't take yourself too seriously and take the time for ‘teachable moments,’” she says. Advice she’d offer to a prospective teacher is that “it’s okay to smile before Thanksgiving. Teaching is the most rewarding job ever.”

The teacher who influenced her the most is Ms. Kaplan, Shapiro’s math teacher from when she was a student at Rockville High School. “She was such a great teacher that she made me want to become one. Her teaching style and personality made the class fun, interesting, and enjoyable,” says Shapiro.

Family is important to Shapiro, who says her two grandmothers and parents are the people she most admires. “These are the people who have always been here for me and supported me through everything. They had to go through a lot when we immigrated to this country from Ukraine and they were able to overcome many obstacles in order for me to have a better life,” she says.

Her favorite book is Firefly Lane. “It was wonderfully written and made me think of how fortunate I am to have great friends by my side,” she says.

About Mark Singleton

“I was never a student who enjoyed school or any work that had to do with school,” says Mark Singleton. “I did, on the other hand, love band. It was what made me get up in the morning and what also made me want to get good enough grades to get into college. I enjoy teaching because I get to do music every day and I get to share my passion for music with my students. I also teach knowing that there are students who are like me, and don't really enjoy doing school work, but get up each day and come to school just for their music class.”

Singleton, who has taught for nine years, is the band director and instrumental music teacher at Seneca Valley High School in Montgomery County. He holds a Bachelor’s of Music degree from James Madison University.

The best piece of advice he’s received as a teacher: “If you are having fun the students will have fun,” he says. The advice he’d give to those thinking of teaching as a career: “Try to come in with a positive attitude every day. The students feed off of it.”

It was George Sadler, Singleton’s high school band director, who most influenced him. “Besides being a talented band director, he was a great person. Every student respected his opinion in and out of the classroom,” he says.

Singleton most admires his parents. “My father was a principal and my mother was an elementary school teacher. Both of them taught me that being a teacher is not something you are Monday to Friday 7:00 to 3:00. It is who you are and a lifestyle that you live,” he says.

Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose is the band director’s favorite book.

About Porsche Vanderhorst

Why does Porsche Vanderhorst teach? “It is truly a ministry, an act of love,” she says. “I love young people. I love seeing them grow and introducing them to new worlds through literature. I love seeing them struggle with a new concept but emerge from the struggle wiser. I love learning from them. I love being able to be that confidant when needed. I love my summers off…wait…should I have said that? Well I do.”

An English teacher,with three years under her belt, at Northwood High School in Montgomery County, Vanderhorst holds a B.S. in Secondary English Language Arts Education from Oakwood College in Huntsville, Ala. Her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction is from Howard University.

If she weren’t a teacher, Vanderhorst might be on Broadway. “I enjoy entertaining and inspiring others through song and creativity. Teaching actually gives me that opportunity,” she says. “My students ‘force’ me to sing to them, and I feel like an actress everyday because it takes quite a bit of creativity to communicate some English concepts to them.”

The teacher who most influenced Vanderhorst is Myrna Candelaria, her 10th-grade English teacher. “She was the toughest teacher I had,” says Vanderhorst, “but she made me think, she stretched my creativity, and she expected more from me than I thought I was capable of. It was in her classroom one afternoon that I decided I wanted to teach high school English.”

While she doesn’t have favorites, The Chosen by Chiam Potok “is a book I always return to,” she says. “I love the story of friendship across religious and cultural lines. The Space Between Us, by Thrity Umrigar, is another well written story about relationships across cultures and class. Also, the book of Psalms in the Bible is extremely inspiring and uplifting to me.”