“I’m not grading another math paper ever again!”
That’s Julie Roda’s plan for retirement when she retires at the end of the year. Julie has taught math at Lake Shore for 30 years and has served as chair of the math department.
Teaching is quite different than when she first started. “The internet, cheating, chatbot, GPT, totally changed the game,” said Roda.
Her favorite part of teaching involves the students. Roda said, “I enjoy the students enthusiasm, I enjoy working with my colleagues.”
She likes it when former students return to visit. “My favorite memories are when the students come back after they graduate and tell me I made a difference,” said Roda.
She is well-liked and respected by students and staff.
Since her career began, Roda has seen the effects modern technology like ChatGPT and the internet has had on teaching. She has helped people better understand the subject despite academic changes.
Roda is known for her hard work, dedication, and helpfulness.
Clare Archer, senior, said, “I like that she’s patient and helpful with those who struggle to understand the material.”
“I liked her teaching style and how she rewarded us when we did good on her tests,” said Alabama McWherter, senior.
Senior Aniya Jackson said, “I liked how willing she is to help someone learn.”
Angel Lebow, junior, said, “I love Ms. Roda. She was so funny and was so eager to help anyone who needed it. She explained math in a way that made it so easy for me. I always looked forward to her class!”
Colleagues praise her class management and organizational skills.
Matthew Coffey, fellow math teacher, said, “Very organized, hardworking, very helpful. She’s even bailed me out with my technology issues.”
Janelle Bross, Lake Shore High School Principal, said, “She’s a master of classroom management; it is very rare for there to be a problem in Ms. Roda’s classroom because she is so fair and consistent. She’s just really good at helping kids understand math, even kids that don’t like math end up liking math in her class.”
Roda was voted teacher of the year this year by Lake Shore staff, which further shows how loved and respected she is. She will be missed by many.
