Who is Ms. Sercl?
In the numerous and boundless halls of Mountain Ridge High School, Ms. Sercl teaches U.S. History, Dual U.S. History, and AP U.S. History. As a history teacher she has educated four years of Mountain Ridge students on the history of the United States, covering various periods and topics, from the nation’s founding to the present day events. Ms. Sercl would describe herself as loud, happy, and organized. She then goes on to note that these three descriptor or adjective words are helpful when teaching. Whether it’s talking to the class, portraying a positive attitude to her students, or simply to reduce stress.
Inspiration for Becoming A History Teacher
Ms. Sercl was born into a household with several teachers which gave her more of an insight to the world of teaching. This environment along with her interest in her ancestral history and the stories of her ancestry is what prompted her to pursue a profession as a history teacher. Ms. Sercl specifically mentioned her family’s farm history as well as how her ancestors came over to the United States. From learning about her own personal history, Ms. Sercl grew to truly enjoy the stories of history and learning about the various events through those same stories.
While a personal interest in history is one of the reasons for her chosen profession, working with kids was also a driving factor in her decision. “I really enjoyed the different schedules, each day is different, each hour is different…” Ms. Sercl said when explaining why she chose to go down the teacher route. For context, an average day with three different U.S. History classes may include the general classes learning about what led up to the Cold War, the dual classes taking a Unit test on the Cold War Era, and the AP classes focusing on the time period 1980-Present. Continuing on her explanation, Ms. Sercl then elaborated that also being able to converse with different people constantly as well as being able to share her passion with others on a daily basis is important. Sharing passions as a teacher, regardless of what class they teach, is crucial because it boosts student engagement and creates a positive learning environment. By demonstrating enthusiasm and excitement, teachers like Ms. Sercl can make learning more enjoyable and effective even in classes where students may not be so inclined to learn.
Reason For Taking U.S. History
Many students dislike U.S. History due to it being too detached to their lives or interests. Or they perhaps may feel that it is not meaningful or useful in both the present and more importantly, their future. While Ms. Sercl does admit that history may not be a student’s cup of tea, she makes a point that it is one of the only high school classes that will be used throughout the rest of their lives. “Especially when we look at citizenship rights and you look at what your government can and can’t do and what you as a citizen have the rights to do through the Constitution.” She reiterates its importance especially when looking at the civic understanding of it, particularly in our divisive world today that if you understand your rights and you understand where you stand as a citizen, what the government can and what they can’t do, is a skill that can be utilized throughout the course of a person’s entire life.
What Students Think About Ms. Sercl
Ms. Sercl, like many of the teachers here at Mountain Ridge, is highly regarded by the students that she teaches. Rory Skeen, a Junior in Dual U.S. History mentions how understanding Ms. Sercl of the amount of work she gives her students. “She isn’t like, ‘Oh it’s not a lot.’ when there are ten pages to do. I really enjoy teachers who acknowledge that this is hard work.” Ms. Sercl’s comprehension of excessive workload is crucial for learning because it directly impacts well-being and motivation. When students are overwhelmed with work, they may become stressed and lead to reduced engagement in the classroom. Her ability to recognize and address workload challenges is essential for creating a supportive and productive learning environment for all of her students. Naomi Crockett, another Junior that takes Dual U.S. History also commented on how she enjoys Ms. Sercl’s personality. She goes on to elaborate how despite history not being her favorite subject, Ms. Sercl effectively improved her engagement, motivation, and classroom success.
