Bishop Noll Institute math teacher Mark Miller has been named a Teacher of the Year by the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce.
Miller has taught mathematics at Bishop Noll for 12 years and loves the family atmosphere at the Catholic high school.
“I felt like I have belonged here since I first walked through the doors in 2008,” he said. “Earning this award makes me feel like I am making a difference. It feels like it has been worth all of the effort that I have put in for 12 years.”
Miller holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics teaching from Purdue University and will soon begin pursuing a master’s degree to teach college level courses.
He enjoys the challenge of mathematics and likes to help his students succeed and be prepared for life after high school. In addition to his classroom responsibilities, he serves as the math department chair, works in the school’s business office and coordinates all of the school’s ACT and SAT testing.
Miller teaches a variety of students and classes. He taught an Algebra 1 class designed for eighth-graders from local Catholic elementary schools who take morning classes at Bishop Noll as part of a STEM initiative. His favorite class to teach to high schoolers is Calculus.
“With that class you get the best students and the ones who are most serious about their academics. They are fun to work with and when I am teaching that class, I never feel like I am working,” he said. “In high school, my pre-calculus teacher wouldn't give me permission to take calculus my senior year and now I am teaching it. I tell students this story every year to show them to not ever let anybody tell you that you can't do something.”
For more information on attending Bishop Noll, visit bishopnoll.org