Paul Tollefson is a math teacher here at Jacksonville High School. After teaching for quite some time, Tollefson has experienced it all. He loves seeing his students achieve excellence in his classroom and overcome difficult obstacles. “My favorite part of teaching is a time when a class is tackling a topic they think they can’t ever get, and then I see them conquer it,” Tollefson shares. Teaching has its ups and downs, Tollefson says, “The number one thing I do not enjoy (about teaching) is watching a student lie to me.” In spite of the few downs, Mr. Tollefson has always been lured to teaching. “I have considered being a teacher since my freshmen year in high school,” he tells. Despite being interested in managing a hardware store, Mr. Tollefson says, “Somehow I was always drawn back into teaching.”
Most people don’t understand how hectic the average day is in the shoes of a high school teacher. As Tollefson shares, “More than people realize, every minute is accounted for. From preparing for classes, time teaching, grading, assisting others, meetings, and more.” Teaching does not just occur at school. Tollefson expresses how “unlike other jobs, a great deal of the time spent at home is focused on the next day of school.” In spite of working constantly, Tollefson has been able to build all kinds of memorable experiences throughout the years. “A favorite memory of mine comes from a class I had marching around the school singing a trig song,” Tollefson shares. “Another favorite memory of mine is when a past student approached me to tell me how I had influenced him into wanting to become a teacher, and now that student is my daughter’s teacher.”