The Teacher Behind APUSH

By Joanna Setow

October 23, 2019

There are two types of teachers you remember in life: the ones that you hate and the ones that you love. While a teacher’s impact on a child’s education is debatable, I can say with certainty that my relationships with my teachers have influenced my academic career, for better and for worse. Ms. Kriz is a teacher that inspired me to learn and become a better student.

APUSH has a reputation as the most rigorous history course at NQHS. Similar to many students, I hesitated to sign up for the course. I saw the blackboard with all the Sisyphean APUSH deadlines as a sophomore entering Mrs. Fernandez’s class, and I honestly did not know if I wanted that for myself. However, it was Ms. Kriz and her ability to believe in me and my potential that made the class worthwhile.

For countless students, myself included, school is a predominant source of stress. Thus, taking a course that entailed as much effort as APUSH, didn’t exactly ease my anxiety by any stretch of the imagination, however, I would be blatantly lying if I didn’t say that it was my favorite class. Ms. Kriz and her daily consumption of Panera iced tea always brought such a refreshing sense of lightheartedness to my day. I’m not sure if it was her unique method of storytelling with finger puppets that amused me, but she honestly manages to tell compelling stories with obscure historical figures. Her dedication to creating an engaging learning environment pays off. Frankly, I haven’t experienced the same sense of camaraderie that I felt among my peers in APUSH in any other class. Maybe it was the memes that we created or the inside jokes that continue to elicit laughs to this day, but students who have taken a class with Ms. Kriz emerge with a strange bond.

Ms. Kriz also has an admirable work ethic. I have never seen a teacher more dedicated to teaching students than Ms. Kriz. She sincerely cares about the quality of her teaching, arriving at school as early as 7 am to prepare for her lessons. Whether it’s revising an essay or reviewing a test, she is willing to stay after school and go the extra mile so that each of her students receive the attention they need to succeed. It probably sounds ridiculous, but she even hosted two Saturday review sessions at school to review material with her classes before the AP exam.

Teachers like Ms. Kriz make learning rewarding. Her words of encouragement always made me want to work harder to improve my writing and analysis. Before the AP exam, she reassured me that I knew the material, and ultimately that small gesture gave me the faith to believe in myself as much as she did. Although teachers shouldn’t be expected to go as above and beyond as Ms. Kriz, her devotion to her students deserves to be recognized. I have absolutely no regrets about taking APUSH and can wholeheartedly call Ms. Kriz one of the best teachers NQHS has to offer.