The Word on the Street

Here are quotes from letters and emails written by students:

· "You make learning fun.  Thanks for being the best teacher in the world!"

· "I have enjoyed your class tremendously.  As a teacher, you have truly helped me to grasp a better understanding of not only math, but also the dedication and strong work ethic necessary to succeed in high school."

· "You will probably learn more from Mr. Brooks than from any other teacher."

· "Prepare to be challenged."

· "Don't cheat because you really won't like what happens when he finds out."

· "He has an IQ of over 9000 so he really knows what he is talking about."

· "Don't touch his stuff."

· "He makes things really easy to understand and he is always willing to help you out if you need him."

· "He worships his magic eight ball."

· "He is psychic and will know what you are thinking."

· "You are lucky to have him."

· "Mr. Brooks does not tolerate tardiness."

· "Pay attention to current events because Mr. Brooks uses those things as extra credit."

· "He sees everything.  Every action, every breath, every blink.  You are never alone."

· "Study hard for your tests because he always finds a way to make the tests hard because his goal is to make someone cry."

· "Yes, he's difficult, but I promise you'll learn the material.  His tests are hard, but he's good at teaching the material."

· "You learn a lot, but you really need to work hard.  If you are a student who is not a very hard worker, I suggest switching out.  He's an excellent teacher but there is a lot of work involved."

· "Do not bring water to class.  See the bowl of sawdust on his desk?  Well, just don't bring in water."

· "He is one of the most helpful teachers you will have."

· "Trust me that if you stick with this class you will be grateful."

· "Be prepared for pop spelling quizzes—yes, spelling."

· "Mr. Brooks is awesome."

· "There is never a boring moment."

· "Don't ever bring water to his class because he puts sawdust in your drink and he would laugh when you died of dehydration."

· "This is actually a pretty fun class, even if you hate math."

· "Mr. Brooks runs his class like a courtroom.  Something exciting always takes place."

· "This class will probably be your funnest class out of all of them.  Your class will be run as an insane asylum."

· "He may talk to himself on occasion.  This is normal.  He has not gone mad."

· "You've probably heard rumors about Mr. Brooks being really hard, but he really isn't.  He is very fair."

· "This isn't the kind of class where you can not do any work, but come to class and think you can get an A."

· "Don't ever touch his stuff, especially his markers."

· "Switch out if you aren't a hard worker."

· "If no one raises their hand to answer a question, he will use a virtual calculator to choose a random student."

· "Don't ever bet money against Mr. Brooks because he will win the bet."

· "I think he has OCD.  He doesn't want anyone to touch his stuff and everything must be orderly."

· "I have nightmares about his megaphone."

· "He is very strict about talking, putting your feet up on desks, not paying attention, sleeping, listening to music, and drinking water."

· "He knows something about everything."

· "Don't ask him for a calculator, paper, or a pencil.  He's not Staples."

Here are quotes from emails sent by parents:

· "I think you are a wonderful teacher.  Your teaching style is well thought out, and very effective and rewarding for [my son]."

· "It's easy to see why you are [my son's] favorite teacher." 

· "You've done a great job getting the material across and this is by far the most enjoyable math experience [my daughter] has had to date."

· "We think you are a gifted teacher because math has never been easy for [our son].  Thanks so much for your excellence!"

· "[I would like to] express my deep gratitude that you have given [my daughter] so much attention already.  I know she is grateful and thinks the world of you.  It is rare to find a teacher as dedicated to the craft as you are."

· "You have helped [my daughter] more than any teacher she’s had and I know you’ll be one of the teachers she remembers in her adult years."

· "[My son] said you were the coolest teacher he has ever had and because of you he enjoyed math and did well on his SATs."

· "I want to thank you for another year of dedication to teaching my kids. [My daughter] not only had endless funny stories about your classroom ways but actually learned quite a bit along the way."

· "My daughter loved your class and really misses you this year."

· "[My son] really flourished in your class."

Here are quotes from administrators and colleagues:

· "I have a great deal of respect for your hard work in the classroom.  I also admire your creativity."

· "[You] have been incredible with my students."

· "I very much appreciated the opportunity to observe your class today.  I was impressed with the pace, the routines that had been established, the purposeful integration of technology, and your sense of humor.  The students were thoroughly engaged."

· "Mr. Brooks addresses the needs of his students by giving them the individual attention they require both during class and by making himself available before and after school."

· "Mr. Brooks believes in a tough-but-fair behavioral standard for his students."

· "Mr. Brooks is a wonderful asset to the math department and the DHS community as a whole."