Most students see Christine Rush as Ms. Rush, their English 9 teacher at Lawrence Central High School, but, if you just dig a little deeper, observe and learn more about her, you would see her love, experience, and many hardships of teaching as well as her love and admirable views of her students.

Rush attended IUPUI for her Bachelor’s degree, then Oakland City University for her MA.e. When sharing her experience at the colleges, she recalled, “regrettably, I commuted; therefore it felt more like a job.”

In all, she has dedicated 26 years to teaching. In October of 1999, she taught middle school English, which was her first teaching experience. She was brought in after the start of the school “which was a unique challenge in itself,” she added.

When contemplating whether teaching back in the earlier years was easier to teach back then compared to teaching now, she stated, “As for whether it was easier back then- In 1999, technology distractions were not an issue; and the traditional way of teaching was preferred. Today, I am excited to say that students have access to so many resources and different ways of engaging with instructional content.”

There are a number of juniors enrolled at Lawrence Central High School, approximately 618,according to Lawrence Central High School’s Skyward. One hundred or equivalent is taught by Ms. Rush daily. With many students comes many attitudes and personalities. When asked about said attitudes and how she feels about the students at Lawrence Central High School, she makes it a point to respond in a positive, warm way that makes the students shine. “I don’t underestimate nor feed into the narrative that our students are not at a level of being capable to succeed,” Rush commented, “I truly believe that students are incredibly perceptive,
resourceful, and passionate about things that matter to them. The attitudes run the gamut, especially at the lower class men level; but generally when I peel back the onion layers of the attitudes; I’ve noticed that when students feel seen and heard, they respond more positively and respectfully.”

Ms. Rush is always cheery, and is always there for her students. A lasting impression and remembrance goes a long way for teachers and students.

“I would want people to remember that I cared- not just about teaching English, but about helping students see their own potential,” Rush noted. “I would also like to think that I encourage curiosity, awareness, critical thinking, confidence and an urgency to discover what contributions they could make beyond the classroom.” “I also remind students that they truly have the power to make changes in the world,” She added.

Over the years, Rush has taken inspiration from many teachers at Lawrence Central High School. The one who has really influenced her, Rush mentioned, “would be Natalie Watts-Sochocki. I first met Mrs. Watts-S when she was a student teacher at LC. Her teaching style was always and is still inspiring-she challenges students in meaningful ways while also creating a space where kiddos feel safe to express themselves. I’ve learned a lot from her ability to balance structure with flexibility.”

Rush has faced many challenges and taught for over two decades. She is admirable, always looking at the positive side of things, treating students with respect and always being there for them, helping in all that she can. She truly cares about the students at Lawrence Central High School, and strives to achieve more, and always improving.