Congratulations to
National Teaching Award Nominee
James Hessler
Arrowhead Union High School, Hartland, Wisconsin
Student Nomination Story
As I walked to my first pre-calc class of my junior year, at Arrowhead High School, I was scared. Just another math class I’m going to have a hard time in with a bad teacher. I took my seat and saw my teacher Mr. Hessler, standing at the front of the room with a red Arrowhead Baseball windbreaker, khaki shorts, and tennis shoes on. Yeah there’s no way I’m going to be able to ask this guy for help. Every day he stood outside his door and greeted me with a, “Hi, hun” and a smile. I wasーhonestlyーa little taken aback. Mr. Hessler’s kind of cool… I had made a judgement based on all my past math teachers that he was going to be like orange juice and toothpaste together, absolutely terrible. A new quote would be up on the board every day inspiring us, making us laugh, or telling us it was Friday. Whether it was an Albert Einstein quote letting us know that everyone asks questions, or a famous athlete with words of wisdom, I always admired and took these quotes with me throughout the day. Being a golfer, I missed a lot of school in the fall, so I had to ask Mr. Hessler when I should make things up or when I needed help with a lesson I missed. I remember nervously going into his empty classroom and asking him a few question and letting him know I would be missing class the next day. “Oh! That’s fine hun, anytime you can get it done before Friday is fine. Where are you playing?” I was surprised by his interest in golf (since nobody is interested in golf) but I gave him the name and where it was. He asked me follow us questions about how the team was playing and what the par was at this course and we had a really great conversation. After this I was always excited to go to pre-calc. He asked me randomly from time to time how golf was going. “Really good! We’re on the road to state!” He asked where I thought of going to college. I said, “I want to go to Carroll University.” I also told him what I wanted to major in. “Carroll has a really great nursing program so that’s why I want to go there.” He would always remember my answers and ask me about it later in the year. I began to realize that some teachers actually care about what’s going on in my life. Mr. Hessler cares about every one of his students and makes an effort to get to know each one personally. I would hear him asking other students how things were going and questioning them about sports, siblings, and college. He is one of the most genuinely interested teachers I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. He is accommodating, dedicated and encouraging. I was always engaged and laughing in his class. His sincerity and interest made me feel important and not just another one of his students. Mr. Hessler taught me to like math again. He taught me that teachers care about their students and what’s going on in their lives. I earned a B+ my final semester with Mr. Hessler and I cried with excitement. I hadn’t gotten a B+ in math since freshman year, and I was so grateful to feel smart again. For all this time I felt so unintelligent until his class. I am so appreciative to have a teacher that enjoyed teaching in a way I understood. I don’t think Mr. Hessler knows how much he impacted me. When I told Mr. Hessler I wouldn’t be taking his AP Calculus class and instead would be taking AP Statistics my senior year at Arrowhead, he said, “Well that’s what you’re gonna need for nursing anyway!” with the wave of a hand. I was sad to say goodbye to the teacher that taught me so much and helped me enjoy math again. To this day, any time I pass his classroom I always say “Hi, Mr. Hessler!” and I get back a “Hey, hun, how are you?”
Caroline Kroeninger
It’s the first day of senior year at Arrowhead High School, walking into AP calc I know I’m gonna hate it. I took hard math classes the last four years, but I would just getting a grade to pass because I never enjoyed them. Every math class is the same, a boring teacher with a monotone voice, and I struggle to stay awake for. I met Mr. Hessler the year before because he was selected to give a speech during the graduating class. During his speech he used odd words he referred to as tiggers, words that apparently “triggered” a memory. But nevertheless I walk into his class ready to sleep. But to my surprise from the second he closed the door he yelled with passion. He taught me about the triggers he used like “throw your ego out the door.” This told me that there is no wrong answer and to be comfortable with being wrong. Other triggers were more math related to remember in class, but this made his speech become clearer to me. He made me enjoy a class I never thought I would and learn in a way that made me want to get better. Everyday I went into his class ready to see what he has planned for us, and eager to continue the lesson. Not losing one second of his class for a blink it is impossible to fall asleep in his class, and is fun to be in. Mr. Hessler is a teacher who you can’t help but admire his love for it and to take a class like math, which students usually dread in the day, and makes it a class to look forward to is truly inspiring. Not a day that has passed has Mr. Hessler not put on a happy face and continue to challenge us, cracking jokes he teaches with enthusiasm and lets us dress up in funky themes on Friday for a partner quiz. This year of math should be my hardest year yet, surprisingly though it is the opposite. Mr. Hessler has been able to not only show me how to enjoy his class, but different ways to learn and how there is no wrong way. Mr. Hessler not only teaches but inspires.
Carter Tomich
Ever since I was a little girl, school has been a breeze for me. The top scores in the class always belonged to me without an ounce of effort. Everything was simple and came to me instantly – that is, until calculus. Junior year, I took my first calculus class at Arrowhead High School. Math had always been one of my strongest subjects, and going into junior year, I didn’t think calculus would be any different. However, I soon found myself sitting in the calc room, staring up at the equation-filled whiteboard, not having a clue what was going on. It did not matter what I did – I studied all our problems, did the homework, asked for explanations. All of this just to stare blankly at every test, like the problems were written in a language I didn’t even know existed. Sometimes I could pull a decent grade, lots of B’s and C’s, with an occasional lucky A. But I knew that even though my grades could fake it, I had no understanding of the math I was learning. Senior year, I joined Mr. Hessler’s AP Calculus AB class. The first day in his classroom, I felt an energy I had never before felt in a math classroom. He presented calculus as something unexpected for a math class — interesting and even fun at times. Mr. Hessler never let his energy drop — not that first day, or any day after. He approached each day with a new goal and an excitement to teach us something new. Throughout my junior year, I had begun to hate math. It had always been something I loved, something I found pride in being good at. But with how much I struggled during that first year of calculus, it shot down my confidence. Math became a drag, and I thought I’d spend the rest of my educational career dreading any calculus I had to take. But Mr. Hessler presented calculus in a way I hadn’t seen before. It is tough and challenging, as he likes to remind us, but it’s not impossible. And if something seems impossible to do, he will answer any question or work with you until it seems possible. He is the most dedicated and genuine teacher I have ever met. He may give a little bit of tough love at times, but it is clear that he cares deeply about the success of each and every student that sits in his classroom. Thanks to him, I can now say that calculus is my favorite class of the year. He managed to take something that frustrated me beyond belief and turned it into something that I could always work through. Even if I don’t always get the correct answer, I’ve learned to always have a plan on how to approach every problem that I come across. This is a skill that he teaches every student that will extend far beyond any classroom and into our future and our careers.
Kyle Vesel
To me, there’s a difference between a teacher and an educator. In my life, I’ve had many teachers—people who teach to get the job done. But, I’ve only known a few people I consider true educators. An educator has a purpose. Someone who is passionate. Someone who doesn't aim for every kid to get an “A,” but for growth and understanding. When I think about a person who fits these characteristics, one person comes to mind: Mr. Hessler. Walking into Pre Calculus at Arrowhead High School the first day, I had my reservations. Other students told me, “This guy is a tough grader” and “Don’t expect to get an A.” These comments made me nervous. Was he going to like me? Am I going to dread this class all year? I sat down, nerves surging through my body. As the class progressed, I realized there was no need to worry. He explained how he could've been a millionaire, working for his best friend, yet he decided to teach. This caused me to gain a deep respect for him. Within minutes of hearing him talk, I knew he was going to be one of the best teachers. He talked with pure wisdom, but also with a splash of comedy. It was obvious Mr. Hessler was not new to the game of teaching. Weeks went on and I grew to know Mr. Hessler. I’d joke with him about my quiz grades, or how hard he grades the homework and labs. Although I joked, he could tell it bothered me. He said, “it's better you make these mistakes now than in college. I'm helping you in the long run.” In that moment, I realized he is a real educator. This is someone who cares about my future. This is someone who cares more about my success where it matters. Although Mr. Hessler carries fantastic attributes with him, there is one thing that makes him stand out from the rest: his passion. When he talks about math, he radiates. He takes a subject that may be boring and turns it into something exciting and relatable to teens. He uses phrases like “junk,” “big ol brackets,” and “X and Y guy,” to make math exciting and add a bit of comedy too. He teaches with a purpose. Mr. Hessler wants every kid to walk out of the classroom each day smarter than they were before they walked in. I couldn't be more grateful to be Mr. Hessler’s student. He is wise, kind, giving, and most importantly genuinely cares for all his students. Every day I have a class with Mr. Hessler is a day well spent. He has prepared me for college, but he has also gone above and beyond and became someone I consider a friend. I hope everyone has a chance to have a teacher like Mr. Hessler. All it takes is one special teacher to give you the confidence that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.
Caroline Berry
It was my first day of senior year at Arrowhead High school when I walked into Mr. Hessler’s, my math teacher, room. It was seventh period right after I ate lunch, and I remember everyone saying “Oh that sucks Mr. Leoni is way better because he gives extra credit.” This made me have a negative thought about the class before I even met Mr. Hessler, but Mr. Hessler quickly made me think differently. Everyday in class, Mr. Hessler made the class fun and entertaining. He understood me and the other students. He would say, “I know you guys might think this is boring, but we gotta learn it.” He would be strict and say, “Seniors, this is for you, and next year it’s going to be harder, so pay attention.” I still remember when he made a connection to math and freshmen girls being annoying. He would create names for math processes like ''Big Red'' that would help me remember. He would relate math to different jobs in the medical field to business to engineering. This made every student interested. He has his everyday sayings like: “Have a little moxie in your game” or “You guys know this from Fector and the boys.” He also says, “I know you guys don’t like helicopter parents so I’m not going to be a helicopter teacher,” which I appreciated. His way of teaching clicked with my way of understanding. One day I didn’t come to school. I accidently left my car running overnight with my garage closed. This caused my house to fill up with carbon monoxide and my family to go to the hospital. Luckily, that was all that happened and no one got more seriously hurt or killed! The next day the whole school knew—and somehow even Mr. Hessler heard. He emailed me saying how concerned he was and how he had a similar situation happen to his grandparents. This made my day and showed how much he cares for his students. Everyday when I run into Mr. Hessler’s class (right as the bell is about to ring) he says, “Come on Bella, let’s go” in a stern but funny tone. But hey, I make it everytime! He then says I need to leave my house earlier to get to school and I say it is not my fault the school traffic is so bad. We laugh and he goes on to teach Pre-Calc, making the class laugh or smile. Even though I like Mr. Hessler and the way he teaches, this does not mean I like math. Pre Calc has been the hardest math class I have ever taken, so it is important I spend time studying and getting help. I go in tenth hour with two of my other friends and we give Mr. Hessler a hard time. We say, “What the heck is this? We never learned this in class” or “Mr. Hessler, why is this so hard? We do not understand this at all.” Mr. Hessler laughs and makes fun of us back, but he also helps us learn the material and helps us for our tests. Spending his break times with three complaining girls, he has a positive attitude and strives to make us learn. Mr. Hessler has a wall above his desk and on it is pinned photographs with his students from previous years. I noticed these right away, and now I know why. He makes a connection with his students and he cares deeply about them (maybe even more than math)! In the beginning of the year, everyone told me to wish for Mr. Leoni, but now I tell everyone to wish for Mr. Hessler. Thank you Mr. Hessler for making math class as enjoyable as it can get, for the hours of extra help you gave me, and for always putting a smile on my face.
Bella Anderson
I remember the second semester of my junior year is when I first had you. I figured that you would be like every other teacher I’ve had, someone who doesn’t seem to put much effort into the students and doesn’t seem like they want to be there any more than the students do. But after a few weeks in your class, I realized that I was wrong about you. I keep thinking of one class period with you in Pre-Calc when you came up to me and asked if I was going to take Calc AB with you next year. I hadn’t really put much thought into my classes for the next school year other than all I had for math at that time was AP Statistics. Then you suggested I could take both. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but looking back I realize I had never had a teacher personally recommend me to be in their class for a second time. Most of the teachers would just tell the whole class the classes they should take next year, but I had never had a teacher personally recommend their own class for the next year. Not once had a teacher care about me enough to personally recommend that I take their class for a second year. But the fact that you wanted me to take Calc and came up to me on your own, showed me that you thought highly enough of me in order to join your class again. The main thing that I like about you though, is that you know how to have fun with your students. You are always having casual conversations with kids, joking around with them in front of the entire class and giving them a hard time, but in a joking manner. And, you are the only teacher that I know who lets their students dress up for a partner quiz. Most teachers are so against partner quizzes, but not you. I remember junior year, when I would see the kids all dressed up on Fridays, wearing things that some people would never be seen in, especially at school. I always thought to myself, That actually looks kind of fun. I remind myself that in the first week of the school year when we talked about dressing up, you simply said It’s your Senior year, go out and have some fun. Who cares what kind of stupid stuff people see you in, just have some fun. Another thing I like is that you push us to be better. It feels like you want us to pass the AP exam more than we do. You give us graded FRQ’s every Friday for the entire second semester to prepare us all for the AP Exam. You write little notes on the test telling us to pick our game up and making sure that we don’t make stupid mistakes that will cost us points on a test. Everyday it seems that you push us further and further to become smarter and smarter in order to pass the class and then to pass the AP Exam. And my favorite is that you give us the ‘street smart’ triggers to help remember things. I find it really helpful when a teacher simplifies things to help their students memorize things, especially in a difficult class like Calc. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said the triggers in my head as I’m working things out. Throughout my four years of high school, there were only a few teachers that really stuck out to me. You, however, were the one that stuck out the most. You really push me and the other students to do their best. It always feels like you are at the top of your game and make sure that I am as well. I haven’t had a connection with many of my teachers before, but I’m glad that you were the one that I had one with, and for that, I thank you.
Patrick McGuire
My freshman and sophomore years flew by like paper fluttering in the wind. I didn’t have to put as much effort into school because it wasn’t challenging enough yet, or so I thought. When junior year rolled around I experienced a teacher that didn’t motivate me or get me excited to come to class. It was the same thing everyday, show up, put your phone away, listen to a lecture for 40 minutes and then get assigned homework. This was the first time in my life I realized I'm not always going to have a teacher I like. I saw Mr. Hessler in the hallway but I’ve never had him as a teacher. I heard good things about him throughout my high school career like, “he’s a really good teacher,” and “he used to be a good football coach for Arrowhead.” But I didn’t have Mr. Hessler first semester, I had a different teacher similar to one I had my junior year. Same routine everyday, come into class and listen to the teacher lecture for 40 minutes without interacting with the class. I wasn’t motivated to come to class. When the second semester rolled around, I switched into Mr. Hessler's class and for the first time I got to see what he was all about. Within the first 10 minutes of class, he had me laughing and excited to learn. The best part about Mr. Hessler is that he doesn’t teach like every other teacher. He treats teaching as if he’s coaching, and that’s why I’m able to connect and learn from him. I can tell when he’s teaching that he cares about his students and wants to see all of us succeed. He constantly gives advice that will help us in college. It’s easier for me to comprehend what he’s explaining when he calls math problems players or teams. He’s so descriptive when he teaches that it makes the class much easier. Mr. Hessler is never in a bad mood, he’s always excited to teach the class something new. Someone once told me if your teacher doesn’t get you excited to learn, then you’re going to hate walking into that class everyday. With Mr. Hessler I’m excited to walk into his room everyday, he makes math and learning fun. Even though this is my first semester with Mr. Hessler, I’m glad I got to experience such a great teacher and person like him. I don’t think I’ll see a teacher as good as Mr. Hessler for a long time, a teacher that is compassionate, caring, and cheerful no matter what time of the day you talk to him. He is a teacher that not only teaches you, but coaches you to be better. I hope nothing but the best for Mr. Hessler and I want him to know how much of an impact his teaching has had on me.
Johnny Orlando
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