Amanda Tuchfarber, commonly known as Mrs. T, has been an English teacher with 20 years of experience under her belt, 13 of those years being at Oak Hills. Since starting her career, she’s taught a variety of English classes, such as English II, Honors English II, College Writing, and AP English Language and Composition (AP Lang). AP Lang is an English course that teaches various writing styles based on non-fiction texts. Tuchfarber has taught this course for 12 years alongside Debra Jenemann, who has since retired from her 37-year teaching career, leaving the entire AP Lang curriculum to Tuchfarber. When asked how she’s handling the switch, she answers with assurance.
“It’s nice making this class my own,” Tuchfarber states, “But I do miss teaching it with Mrs. Jenemann, for sure.”
AP Lang, being a college course, is rigorous and filled with college-level activities. Lots of planning and prepping are required to teach this class as well as possible. Tuchfarber, teaching three other courses on top of AP Lang, must stay motivated and on top of her tasks. She admits that she doesn’t mind teaching the class solo, but would rather have another teacher to “bounce ideas off of.” In order to stay organized, Tuchfarber uses her plan bell and the little free time she has wisely. Grace Williams, a student teacher from Miami University who shadowed Tuchfarber for seven weeks, recalls Tuchfarber’s proactive habits.
“Mrs. T and I had a shared calendar where we outlined our lessons…” Williams said, noting how the system helped maintain consistency and organization throughout the year. “I noticed Mrs. T used the calendar to plan even beyond when I would be there.” Williams also mentioned that Tuchfarber would often utilize plans and materials developed from previous years of teaching AP Lang, working from her past experience to enhance her lessons.
Tuchfarber implemented many ideas from Jenemann in her own planning to further the strength of the cu
rriculum. By doing this, she’s able to build on what already works and what needs to be tweaked to ensure the best outcome for her students. For example, FRQ Fridays. FRQ Fridays are a class bell where students will write a practice Free-Response Question every week to strengthen their skills and track their progress as they approach the AP test. Multiple Choice Mondays were also passed down, along with one-on-one student conferences. “A lot of routine activities that we do in here are because of Mrs. Jenemann,” Tuchfarber says.
Tuchfarber is a highly qualified teacher with years of experience in the classroom, constantly demonstrating commitment to expanding her students’ knowledge. She is dedicated to her students’ growth, shown through the one-on-one conferences with the feedback she provides. When asked about her approach, she responds with, “I want my kids to do well,” reflecting not just her desire to share the curriculum, but her genuine care about her students succeeding in school. When a teacher prioritizes a student’s learning, it creates an environment where students feel valued and have the ability to reach their full potential.
A teacher like Tuchfarber is vital to an effective and enjoyable school environment. A qualified, thoughtful teacher who cares about her students is the kind of teacher every student deserves. As Tuchfarber reflects, she highlights her favorite parts of this class: “AP Lang is fun because it’s a different type of class… We talk about writing styles that kids have never been exposed to.” Her passion for teaching extends beyond the classroom, leaving a lasting impact on her students for years to come.gb