This new face at Messmer really cares about her students and likes to have fun!
--Contributed by junior A'Kiera McKinney
Ms. Gerlach: Always Looking on the Bright Side
Every year we have new members who join our Messmer family. Sometimes we don’t have the time to sit down and get to know them other than a brief introduction they give on the first day of school. Let's learn more about Ms. Claire Gerlach, the new Math teacher.
Ms.Gerlach said, "I have lived in the Milwaukee area for most of my life. When I was little (2 years old) my family moved to Zimbabwe, so I was immersed in a new culture for two years. I like to travel: Washington DC, Alaska, Mexico, and Ireland are my most memorable travel destinations. I attended Dominican High School, but my grandpa attended Messmer and he still talks about his positive experiences here."
Ms.Gerlach was inspired to come teach at Messmer by one of her own high school math teachers, Mrs. Supanich. Ms.Gerlach said, "I had a half-hour resource period after lunch every day, and as a junior and senior, [Mrs. Supanich] let me come to her room help freshmen with their math homework. I really struggled with math in high school, and had to go in for extra help after school every day (especially in Algebra II). After putting in so much time and effort, I really knew the subject material well, and was able to relate to and help other struggling students."
Before Ms.Gerlach came to Messmer she taught Pre-Algebra at St. Anthony High School and that was her first year of teaching. In her free time she likes to run. She said, "I completed the 'Tough Mudder' [recently], and the 'Rock ‘n Soul' last summer." Ms.Gerlach also likes other physical activities like biking, camping, tennis, and canoeing. Ms. Gerlach says her talents are, "I have a knack for looking on the bright side, and am normally in a very good mood. I have a strong work ethic and put many hours (as all Messmer teachers do) into planning intuitive lessons. I truly care about my students and want them to feel safe (physically and mentally) in my classroom."
Ms. Gerlach attended University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and she majored in secondary math education. She says her challenges throughout the school year will be, "...keeping students interested in the subject material. I love looking on the internet, asking coworkers and other teachers for new ideas that I can implement in my classroom. New challenges also keep me on my toes and excited about upcoming lessons." Ms. Gerlach says the expectations for each of her students is to, "...put effort into their Algebra Class. It does not mean that they must get an A, but I expect them to master the material. They will be able to teach others the material they have learned in Algebra class."
