Havre High School algebra teacher Robin Soyer helps seniors Garrett Aguillard on a worksheet in algebra three class Thursday afternoon. Soyer will retire at the end of this academic year after teaching for 27 years.
Robin Soyer loves her job and it shows.
Over the past 27 years, Soyer has taught math at Havre High School, though she felt “teaching” wasn’t enough.
“We help them grow up more than teach them content, ” Soyer said.
Most people who interact with Soyer see and appreciate this distinction. She said she not only loved it when students stopped by to talk while attending school, but when they stayed in touch even after graduating.
“Over the years kids have come to know that I am in my room early, which led to many students stopping in to visit, ” Soyer said. “I've always felt very special that they are comfortable talking and sharing their lives with me. I will definitely miss the morning chats.
“One of my fondest (memories) is receiving a poem that a student wrote for me. The student gave it to me 10 years ago, and I still have it at my desk. ”
Havre Public Schools Superintendent Andy Carlson admires Soyer’s dedication to students, as shown by those morning sessions.
“When I found out she was retiring, I went to the high school the next morning, ” Carlson said. “I knew just where I would find her, in her room, before the bell, with students working with her.
“If you could mold a teacher, it’d be Mrs. Soyer. ”
At the end of this semester, those morning talks and workshops are coming to an end.
“After retirement, my husband and I plan to move to the Boise, Idaho, area to be closer to our kids and 2-year-old grandson, ” Soyer said. “We are just waiting for our house on Wilson Avenue to sell. Anyone looking for a nice house? ”
Soyer’s sense of humor is the one thing Carlson jokingly said he might not miss when she leaves.
“She called me tubby all the time, so I won’t miss that, ” Carlson said, laughing.
As Soyer prepares to move on to a life without as many early mornings or math questions, she is just happy to have had the opportunity to try to improve student’s lives.
“I could never thank everyone enough who have made my 27 years at Havre High School so wonderful, ” Soyer said. “I hope I made all my students’ math experiences enjoyable. ”
Soyer said, “One of my fondest (memories) is receiving a poem that a student wrote for me. The student gave it to me 10 years ago, and I still have it at my desk .... ”
Some kids get A's and some kids get F's but teacher only cares that we gave it our best.
Teacher works hard and helps us to find that thing sometimes hidden, that thing is our mind.
Though sometimes teacher fails and a child refuses to learn, but most often she wins and our passage we'll earn
To try all our life and give it our bestso we will score high in life... the big test.
I'm proud to call you Teacher.
Hope you having some fun on retirement!!!
Good Luck Mrs. Soyer!