Tracey Bishkin: An Inspiring Educator
By Amory Moore
One of the most known teachers at Lake Highlands High School resides in L-A102. Tracey Bishkin teaches three different Advanced Placement courses: AP World History, AP Psychology, and AP European History.
AP European History was revived this year when many seniors expressed their interest in taking the course, somewhat due to Bishkin being the teacher. After the curriculum being on a hiatus for close to a decade, she took on the project of teaching yet another AP course.
“I’m excited that students showed enough interest in European History to bring the class back from about an eight year hiatus,” Bishkin commented. “I spent about half of the summer working on AP European History. The enjoyable part is getting to restudy all the intricacies of the curriculum that I only had a passing knowledge of from World History.”
Bishkin has been a teacher for 17 years, all of which have been at Lake Highlands. She has touched the lives of many students in the process. Adora Ho, a senior at LHHS noted that Bishkin was part of the reason she decided to take AP European History this year.
“My friends and I wanted to take the class because we are interested in European History, but also because we knew that [Bishkin] would be teaching it,” Ho said.
Teaching an AP class takes a lot of preparation and dedication, plus the workload that Bishkin takes on every day. “She knows the content well and does a great job of preparing you for the AP tests. She’s not afraid to push her students’ intellect and give out tests and essays often,” Ho mentioned.
Bishkin certainly knows all the content she teaches inside and out. She likes what she teaches and is very familiar with the curriculum which makes it more enjoyable for her as a teacher.
“My favorite thing about Ms. Bishkin is her clear love for teaching. She seems to enjoy both the process of teaching and the material she teaches,” Cooper Littlefield, a senior at LHHS, noted.
Adora also added that although Bishkin had her class write a DBQ (document-based question) or LEQ (long-essay question) every week, it greatly prepared her and her classmates for success on the AP test. If students pay attention to the lectures in class, they will have less studying and reading to do at home.
“She doesn’t just tell you the dates and facts about history; she tells the story of the world and really dives into what and why things happen,” Ho accounted.
Bishkin’s favorite part about teaching is her students. She loves getting to watch them grow up and engage in meaningful conversations with one another.
“It’s really rewarding to get to work with students who are at a turning point in their lives. They have refreshing viewpoints, they are curious, and they constantly make me laugh,” Bishkin said.
Bishkin also added that teaching high school students makes her wish that she was still young, but it mostly makes her thankful that she doesn’t have to relive that time in her life.
You can probably imagine that teaching three different AP classes is not easy. Bishkin noted that the most difficult part about teaching is trying to cram a lot of content and skills into a short period of time.
“Students are usually exhausted from the daily grind of going to one class after another,” Bishkin stated. “So, it’s an effort to try to invigorate people who may only have a passing interest in what you have to say.”
Bishkin does her best to keep students on their toes about what they are learning. She voiced that AP Psychology is probably the most fun because it’s relatable, and that almost everyone can find something within the curriculum to relate to.
“I have taken AP World History and am taking AP European History, but strongly regret not taking AP Psychology with her,” Littlefield commented.
Most students would agree that Ms. Bishkin is more than just a teacher. She entertains her classes with humor and tales of her experiences (including her love of sloths). “Bishkin is so funny. She makes her lectures engaging with her witty jokes and comments. Sometimes, her class doesn’t feel like a lecture but like a stand-up comedy show,” Ho mentioned.
Littlefield noted that Bishkin stands out for the extremely engaging environment that she creates with her lessons. It’s safe to say that there is never a dull class when being taught by her.
Ms. Bishkin is impressively one of the only teachers at Lake Highlands that teaches more than one AP course. “I personally like the variety of teaching multiple courses,” Bishkin said. “I sometimes get sick of hearing my own voice. This way, at least I’m not saying the same thing to all my classes.”
Adora added that not only does Ms. Bishkin prepare you for the AP test, but she teaches her students about so much more. She has such a unique perspective about life that makes everyone around her want to find a different view.
“I learn a lot more about life from her than I do world history or psychology. She genuinely cares about you and is one of the most encouraging teachers that I’ve ever had,” Ho concluded.
