Add 30 eighth-graders to a science lab full of chemicals and what concoction do you get? With Mrs. Tavernaro as the teacher, the possibilities are endless. She is every junior high student’s ideal teacher. As I walked into her room as third period bell rang, I just knew class was not going to be like yesterday, or any other day for that matter.

Mrs. Tavernaro had a personality that made you want to go to her class. Her teaching style was no different either. Talking to her was easy since she spoke like a teenager. You actually understood what she was saying. Her legendary catch phrase, “street sweeper,” was heard when the class was being too loud, followed by “shh, shh, shh.” Mrs. T was not a teacher to me. Mrs. T was a role model and a genuine friend. I felt comfortable confiding in her. Every time a conflict came up, Mrs. Tavernaro was the one I spoke to for advice. She would think through the problem first, analyze it, and then tell me what I should not do. Her suggestions were always clear. Her comfort and support was always there in the tough times.

Besides being awesome at guidance, Mrs. Tavernaro taught like no other. Her style of teaching was dynamic and effective. We had experiments almost every other day which made class fun and not at all dull. The most memorable experiment was the car-ramp test. The class used an elevated paper ramp, a little matchbox car, and a stopwatch to measure the speed. Just this simple experiment made the class hyper and energetic. We had a fantastic time. The use of the SmartBoard also made learning interactive. She would also use Foss Kits to attract the students’ attention. Well, it worked. I always found these activities very interesting. Mrs. T went out of her way to assure that the class was learning in a fun way. She wanted our futures to be bright. Besides transforming the classroom into a party, her sense of humor was that of a comedian. She had everyone cracking up with her sarcastic jokes and witty one-liners. Class was especially funny if Mrs. T had a steaming cup of coffee on her desk. As long as I saw that thermos in her hand, I was going to have a wonderful day. Mrs. Tavernaro was the teacher to have. I admired everything from her advice to her humor. To me, a teacher is more than an educator; a teacher should be someone who changes a student’s life forever. Teachers must show their pupils the path to success. It’s safe to say that Mrs. Tavernaro passed with flying colors.