May 1-5, 2023 marks Teacher Appreciation Week. To celebrate, all week members of the Pepper Bough staff will share how their favorite teachers have made an impact on their lives.

Ms. Godinez is the most amazing, understanding, nicest, sweetest math teacher to have ever been welcomed into Colton High School.

Everyday when the bell rings she’s always holding her door open for us kids to walk into her room. Not only that, but she welcomes us with a “Good morning” and a heart melting smile. 

She’s one of the most understanding teachers I have ever had. It meant more than she could ever know when she switched up her seating chart and put me away from a kid she knew they picked on me every now and then.

The personal things matter, but she’s also an amazing math teacher. I find it difficult to understand math and I have always been scared to ask for help because of past teachers not fully helping me understand what’s going on. Ms. Godinez is always so patient and nice when helping students with a question. She breaks the work down piece-by-piece, and whenever I still didn’t understand, she didn’t just give up and move on. She stayed with me until I understood.

Ms. Godinez understands some students find math harder, so she pays more attention to the ones who need it and makes sure they don’t give up and hate the subject forever. Instead, she helps them bloom and learn how to have a healthy relationship with math.

To some students Ms. Godinez isn’t just a teacher, but a best friend, a parent figure, and so much more. Her hard working, positive attitude combined with her sweet, happy, and welcoming aura makes so many of us—especially me—feel comfortable.

I’m very happy I know Ms. Godinez, and proud to say I’m in her class.