Ms. Petronko is the newest General Math and College Math teacher in Shore Regional High School, motivating students to learn through candy, baked goods and realizing their potential. 

Her classroom is welcoming, when you first walk in, with math-related decorations dotted around the room. The classroom is full of lovely students in her ASP period who she helps with their work and IXL assignments. “She’s nice,” Mike Ciavolino says, a student in her General Math class. “She’s a good teacher.” Posters around the room remind the students of her “Ticket System” which rewards students for getting perfect scores on online activities, good behavior, staying on task, etc. “If the whole class averages an 80 or above, they receive baked goods, like cookies. My college math class just got brownies.” Tickets are redeemed for anything from a snack to a class break. 

Technology and individualized based learning is part of the structure within Ms. Petronko’s curriculum. IXL is used frequently in her class and helps students work at their own pace so they are not left behind. Her reasoning behind using so many online resources is that it gets students focused on “doing what best suits their needs.” The nature of teaching in her classroom helps students stay on track of the task at hand. 

“[Students] have the potential. If they just try, they can get it. If they just stay focused,” Petronko says. She firmly believes that all students can succeed if they just make an effort. Her inspiration for teaching comes from seeing the “lightbulb moment” in students when they realize they can complete their topic or lesson. To see a student struggle and then realize they’re perfectly capable of doing what’s in front of them is what she loves most about teaching.