Living in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, Mrs. Amy Reinhardt has been teaching math for 23 years, specifically Geometry, Geometry Honors, and Algebra 2. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and making crafts with her daughter.
Abby: Why did you decide to start teaching math?
Mrs. Reinhardt: I absolutely loved AP Calculus in high school.
Abby: What is your favorite category of math to teach?
Mrs. Reinhardt: Algebra 2 and higher.
Abby: What is the most challenging category of math to teach?
Mrs. Reinhardt: Proofs in Geometry! Very difficult for students to learn.
Abby: So I’ve heard haha. Can you tell us about your family? Do you have any pets?
Mrs. Reinhardt: Married for 15 years, son is 14 and daughter is 12. No pets.
Abby: If you could have a pet, what kind would you want?
Mrs. Reinhardt: I had a Pekingese dog for 13 years. His name was Linus (yes, after the Peanuts character). He died of old age in 2017. We like the freedom of traveling without having to board the dog or having a doggie sitter so we are enjoying being pet free.
Abby: That totally makes sense! Over the years, what has been one of your favorite passages in the bible to read?
Mrs. Reinhardt: In other words, what is a passage that has encouraged you recently? My favorite book of the Bible is Philippians. That book is so full of encouragement!
Abby: Yes, I agree! I love Philipians too. Can you tell us about a really strict or really funny teacher you had as a kid?
Mrs. Reinhardt: One of my funniest teachers was my AP American History teacher in high school. He was this tiny German man with a very loud voice. The teacher next door would come in and interrupt his lessons to get him riled up because his face would turn bright red and he’d scream at everyone in German! He was an amazing teacher and so very funny too.
Abby: That is so funny! Do you have any pet peeves?
Mrs. Reinhardt: People driving super slow in the left lane.
Abby: What is something that you could give a 30-minute presentation on with no preparation ahead of time besides math?
Mrs. Reinhardt: How to get help for a child with special needs.
Abby: What is something on your bucket list?
Mrs. Reinhardt: Seeing more of the U.S. Sadly, I’ve been to more places in Europe than I have in the good ole USA. This summer we drove from Georgia to South Dakota. It was 4000 miles round-trip and we loved it! More road trips like that are on the family bucket list.
Abby: Yes, traveling is so fun! What is your approach to classroom management and keeping class time productive and not out-of-control?
Mrs. Reinhardt: Allow for mental breaks (sometimes I’ll tell a funny story or joke), but then we reign it back in and get back to work.
Abby: That’s a really good idea. I know this can often be a controversial subject, but where do you stand on the subject of listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving?
Mrs. Reinhardt: I’m fine with it after Halloween.
Abby: How old were you when you realized that Santa Claus isn’t real? Did you have any strong reactions to it?
Mrs. Reinhardt: I was nine– I knew something was up!
Abby: What is your favorite and least favorite Christmas song?
Mrs. Reinhardt: No idea on which one I don’t like, but my favorite is O Holy Night.
Abby: That is a good song. In your opinion, what is the most underrated holiday movie?
Mrs. Reinhardt: The old classics like White Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life – the REALLY old ones! They need to be shown more on TV during the season.
Abby: What is your favorite winter drink?
Mrs. Reinhardt: Twinings Christmas Tea.
Abby: Can you describe yourself in three words?
Mrs. Reinhardt: Christian, loyal, humorous.
Abby: What is one piece of advice that you’ve been given that you won’t forget?
Mrs. Reinhardt: It was something I read in a Bible study. “Don’t live with a paper plate mentality.” It was in reference to always using paper plates instead of using the good dishes. Don’t sit around always waiting for the perfect moment. Live life to the fullest at all times.
Hopefully, this has been encouraging for you today and you have learned something new! This week, try telling one of your teachers about one of your Christmas traditions or something you like about Christmas!
“The brightest Christmas ever was lit by a single star and swaddled in the most drab colors but offered mankind the greatest gift of all…true and lasting love.” – Toni Sorenson
Photo Credits: Amy Reinhardt