Helen Fisher, aka Doc, is our 6th,7th & 8th grade Math and Science teacher. If you haven't ever talked to her, you should, as she has an awesome Austrailian accent! She was born and raised down under and moved to the states to attend graduate school in the early 80's. While in school, she met and married the man of her dreams - she says "It was love at first sight" and she continues to be happily married with two grown children.
What people soon come to know about Doc, is she loves science and loves the outdoors. Some of her favorite things to do are backpacking, skiing, snowshoeing, travelling and recently she has taken up painting with watercolors, which she says has been very fun. She also loves to garden and, get this - she LOVES to pull weeds!
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Doc Fisher helping with the Middle School Rocketry Elective |
Doc hasn't always been a teacher. She attended a meeting more than 12 years ago, for anew charter school that was launching at that time, ANSER charter school. ANSER was the first charter school in Boise and while Doc was at that meeting, she felt inspired to go back to school to get her teaching degree she says "Because I wanted to teach at that kind of a school". She did get her degree and has been teaching at some capacity for the past 8 years. She also has run summer science camps for kids in Wilder.
As she reflects on this first year at TVCS, Doc says "This year has been a huge challenge with the different age groups and all - more challenging than I thought it was going to be. But I have no regrets. I love the kids and have enjoyed seeing the struggles and triumphs and am excited for what we can do in the future - all the fresh ideas and growth! I feel like overall we have seen success this year. I am feeling a lot more bonded to the kids and enjoy them - Good things have happened."
When a few of her students were asked what they have liked about her class, Stevie said "The experiments are fun and educational." Korin said "I like how if we need help, she will come explain it to us and if we still don't get it, she will explain in a way that we will understand like how to make a pin camera and watch an eclipse in a box." Kaden said "She has fun science experiments. Her classes are unforgetable."
The 6th, 7th and 8th grade students have learned a lot this year and have some amazing project based learning happening in math and science. If you ever want to see some cool hands-on learning in action, head out to Doc's classroom in the portable - it will make you want to be in Middle school again! There is always something fun and interesting going on out there.
Thanks Doc for making the learning at TVCS hands on, real world applicable, challenging, engaging, fun AND unforgetable!
