Bringing out the best potential in her students

Story by Prajukta Ghosh – Copy Editor

Education is a weapon that can lead to a battle of progression and ultimate defeat of ignorance in one’s lifetime. It could be ideal for kids to rant about the struggles of being a student, however, it is even more challenging to be a teacher and not let personal frustration and annoyance take over their student’s time to learn. Mrs. Tracy Wrisinger, Math teacher at North is celebrating this unique profession of tutoring students and being a part of their daily struggles with a positive aura and radiance. She is constantly striving to make sure students make the best out of her classroom and find new ways to resolve consequential problems. 

   “I loved teaching, but my first job was not in an ideal scenario. I left teaching to work on my MBA and my law degree. However, I continued to find an outlet for my teaching. I taught at a number of community colleges and at my alma mater, William Jewell College,” Wrisinger said.  

   She had attended the University of Missouri-Columbia where she planned to study journalism, for two years before she made her decision to transfer to William Jewell. She had earned her bachelor’s degree in both Mathematics and Education along with a master’s in business education and her Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University. She has come to love teaching more than ever and every day in her classroom she tries to ensure that students develop and master skills that will be best for them once they graduate from high school. 

   “I have always had the mantra that no matter what I’m facing, someone is facing something worse. I also try to assess whether it will matter in five years. If not, it’s not worth worrying about now,” Wrisinger said. 

   She is also the head coach for Avid. She tackles seniors for the avid classes. Her actual journey to learn how to study in college began when she learned several skills from one of her peers that now she teaches students in her avid class. 

   “I actually didn’t learn how to study until college. I had a friend who taught me a lot of the skills we learn in AVID. My grades improved dramatically,” Wrisinger said. 

   Her motive is to help students earn full credit for their accomplishments and enjoy their high school and college experiences the best possible way they can.