A teacher of 17 years and a mother of 15 years, both worlds have now collided for Rocky Alumni, Laurie Vroman. Mrs. Vroman teaches a variety of students, from Honors Chemistry to AP Environmental Science; and now her daughter Averi Vroman. Averi states, “I was excited to have my mom as a teacher because I enjoy chemistry, and it allows me to spend more time with my mom.” Similarly, Mrs. Vroman says, “I think it’s great to have Averi in my class! She’s a great student, and in return, I get to see her every day.” Mrs. Vroman comments, “Being a teacher of multiple very hands-on subjects sometimes gets stressful, but seeing a friendly face in my classroom helps me reset myself often.” Averi mentions she was slightly apprehensive about having her mom as a teacher, judging and grading her work, but Mrs. Vroman assures Averi that her work is great and all a part of the learning process.
Averi explains how having two parent teachers is amazing, saying, “Whenever I’m having trouble with schoolwork, or studying for a test, it’s like I have two built-in tutors.” Keeping school and home life separate is important to the Vromans. They have developed a few ways to maintain a balanced relationship between their time at home and school. Mrs. Vroman speaks on this and says, “One of my biggest things I try and do is not nag Averi too much about her homework or studying. I’ve had to just trust that she’s keeping up and staying on top of things.” These two ladies have a great bond and they thank each other for complying with the others’ needs. “I always appreciate that my mom is overbearing about my schoolwork. She knows that if I have a question I would ask her, and she’s always helpful in answering,” Averi adds.
Averi mentions that the hardest part about her mom’s class is the pace that she moves at, stating, “It’s the hardest part, but I can’t say it’s my least favorite. I enjoy a fairly challenging class, and I think her Honors Chemistry class is good for me in that way.” Speaking of challenges, Mrs. Vroman says the most challenging part about teaching her child is grading her work. “I sometimes get anxious to grade Averi’s assignments and tests because I want her to do well, but that feeling quickly subsides because Averi constantly performs well in my class, and I’m very proud of her for that.” Mrs. Vroman says. “I was nervous to have my mom as a teacher, as I didn’t know what to expect. Now I can confidently say I wouldn’t change a thing. I think I’m lucky to have such a great role model in the classroom and at home!” Averi exclaims.
