Standing at the whiteboard, his students give him their full attention as they ask questions and work together to solve complex problems. This is the classroom of Engineering and AP Statistics teacher Jeff Collier.
Collier was recently awarded LCM High School Teacher of the Year after being nominated by his peers. According to Collier, he was very honored to be nominated and awarded this title from the simple voting of his many coworkers.
“I am very honored and thankful to be presented as teacher of the year,” Collier said. “We have some fantastic teachers on this campus, many who are worthy of this same honor, so to be voted by my peers means a lot.”
Collier has been teaching for over 20 years and coaching for six. Since he has been teaching for so many years, one of his favorite parts about teaching is getting the opportunity to see his students be successful.
“That moment where they have been struggling with a project and then it works… the look on their faces is golden,” Collier said. “I also enjoy hearing about students that have graduated and are highly successful in life.”
Although Collier values success in his teaching, it does not come without challenges, as teaching is a full-time job that can often take up a lot of time inside and outside of school hours.
“Teaching can often take extra time outside of the school day, especially as you get involved in extracurricular activities,” Collier said. “Evenings watching my students compete in athletics, Saturdays spent with UIL or choir, evenings and weekends planning lessons… responding to parents… grading papers, coaching, can all be hard to balance with family time. But as the years have gone by, I got better and better at finding the proper balance.”
Although Collier has a passion for teaching, he initially pursued a bachelor’s degree in business marketing from Lamar University. Following his graduation, he spent nine years working for a supply company, where he managed three branches across the country. Eventually, he returned to school to earn his teaching degree. Despite his current qualifications, Collier is committed to furthering his education.
“I will graduate with my master’s degree in educational administration from Lamar University in May,” Collier said.
Collier has always had a desire to teach, but what truly inspired him to begin teaching was his college experience as he helped tutor, and his wife as she reminded him how much he enjoyed teaching the youth.
“While in college, I worked for a tutoring company and really enjoyed teaching,” Collier said. “After being successful in industrial supplies, I decided I needed to make a job change. My wife, also a teacher, reminded me how much I enjoyed teaching in college and working with the youth at our church. So, I got certified and began teaching and have never regretted the change.”
As a teacher, Collier has extensive experience and genuinely cares about his student’s success. This award only serves as further proof of his dedication and hard work. Chosen by his peers, he embodies the hope he has for his students, which reinforces his desires as an educator.
“Teaching is more than just the subject material we teach; it is about helping students be successful in all areas of their life,” Collier said. “While yes… I hope the lessons stick with them and help them in college, my biggest hope is they learn problem-solving skills that will help them in all areas of life and to never give up. And I hope they know they are more capable than they give themselves credit for.”
