By Mariah Gunnison

This month’s teacher spotlight is on Ms. Richards, the high school Geometry and Algebra II teacher. Mrs. Richards has been at TPA for seven years and is the current Mathematics Department Chair for the school. 

What brought you to TPA? 

“I moved to Tempe two years prior. I realized that I didn’t have to make that long commute (to her previous school), and I could find something closer. We really, as a family, like the education that TPA provides, so it’s something that we wanted our kids to have the opportunity to do.” 

If you were not at TPA, what would your dream job be? 

“I think I would be an interior decorator, or just organizing people’s houses. Not my own, because I don’t want to organize my stuff. … Just other people’s stuff.” 

What would students be surprised to find out about you? 

“That I have an irrational fear of flushing toilets. Just the sound, and it’s so violent and it’s just, bleh.” 

If you could pass on any piece of advice to your students, what would it be? 

“Be you. Authentically you. Short and simple, but be you.” 

In which teacher’s class would you want to be in, even just for a day? 

“This was a hard one because I really admire a lot of teachers here, but Ms. Challis. I really admire all of the hard work; I see all of the hard work she puts in, and it just seems like she really really cares about what kids learn and how they’re going to get there.” 

If you were given a superlative in high school, what would it have been? 

“Well, I was. ‘Most Shy.’ In junior high, it was ‘Most Freckles.’ Both are fantastic superlatives.” What do you think you should’ve gotten? “Of course ‘Most Intelligent’ and ‘Most Likely to Succeed,’ obviously!” 

What is your spirit animal? 

“Fish. You just swim and it seems so relaxing. I know in the real world there are sharks and predators, but in my mind, you’re just floating and relaxing, so … fish.” 

Besides the subject you teach, what is your favorite subject? 

“HL (Humane Letters). I know that’s not a popular answer, but I love the idea of diving into topics with others, hearing their ideas and building on their ideas. It’s so fascinating to me, like how people think, how our social aspect adds to our learning.”