2001 Georgia Teacher of the Year
Ms. Eager is a teacher at Lumpkin County High School in Dahlonega, Georgia. She has been teaching mathematics to students in grades nine through twelve for twenty-four years.

What are your beliefs about teaching?
"I believe teaching is an intense, multi-faceted task. Teaching requires practitioners to know their subject as well as to know their students. They must also know how to motivate students and inspire them; to know how to communicate with students, teachers, parents, administrators and the community; to know how to manage time and paperwork efficiently; and to know how to keep smiling through it all."

How are your beliefs incorporated in your teaching style?
"I bring to teaching a love of learning. I read professional journals and share articles with my classes. Last year I taught myself the programming language C++ in order to teach students Advanced Placement Computer Science. I am currently learning how to use graphing calculators and calculator-based rangers with my students."

What is your greatest teaching accomplishment?
"When students become excited thinkers themselves who search for solutions, I am rewarded. Once one of my trigonometry students presented a proof of Heron's formula. When he finished, he fielded questions from his peers. At the conclusion of his presentation, spontaneous applause broke out all around the room. It was one of the magic moments of my career when I thought, 'This is why I teach.' When I see the light of understanding in the eyes of students, I think, 'This is why I teach.' When I observe my pre-algebra students working together on an estimation project, I think, 'This is why I teach.'"

What's the most critical issue facing educators today and what do you think can be done to resolve this issue?
"Violence is a major public education issue today. At a time when our population is becoming more and more diverse, when tolerance needs to be practiced by all of us, we are splintering into armed camps. Fear is dividing us. We need to show tolerance. We need to value diversity. We need to respect each other. We need to educate ourselves on how to deal with conflict in constructive, non-violent ways."

Inspirational thought:
"As I reflect back over the day's events and over the accumulating years of teaching, I ask myself, 'Did you accomplish something today? This week? This year?' I answer with a resounding, 'Yes.' When I close my classroom door, I leave knowing I dropped a pebble in today's pond. When I close my classroom door, I leave knowing what I did today is my gift for our tomorrows."