Teachers make the school environment and always have the best intentions for their kids/students. Mr. Reiman is the Sophomore sponsor; As well as Geometry teacher and Pre – Calc and Calc teacher. He is one of the teachers that always has the interest of his students in mind when he makes his lessons and activities.
Mr. Reiman’s interview:
Favorite Things:
Color: Dark Purple
Song/Artist (right now): Lincoln Park – Numb
Movie: Armageddon
Book: Order of The Phoenix
Sports Team: White sox, buffalo bills, notre dame
Thing to Teach: Geometry over all
Classroom Essential: open minded students
Snack: Nature Valley PB bar
How long have you been teaching? When and why did you decide to become a teacher?
Mr. Reiman: Been teaching for 16 years – In high school I wanted to be an electronic engineer because I was good at math and the money was good. Couldn’t afford college so joined the military. While I was there I went through a lot of training. Then through the 8 years in the military, I experienced a lot of leadership/teaching roles. I then realized I liked helping people get to where they need to be so I then went into teaching. I knew that I didn’t want little kids but, sophomores at times can act like little kids so don’t know how far off I am from that.
Who inspires you? What makes this person so influential to you?
Mr. Reiman: My dad, my wife, and my daughter. My Dad because he was a police officer for a really long time was able to pick up on how he handled himself as he was self minded and respectful and was most of the towns fav cop for that reason. I try to live my life as an educator with respect for that reason. My wife because she is the smartest person I know, you can tell she cares about other people and I can see the caringness in her everyday even as a teacher. My daughter because she is unlike anyone else in the family, she is outgoing and extroverted. If a child is by herself playing at the park she will go and try to get them involved and play with them. She also has good confidence as she performs at the talent show at her school. For the last three years she has sung a song at that talent show and does an amazing job at it. She is also fearless.
What’s your favorite unit/lesson to teach? Walk us through what it looks like + why you like it so much!
Mr. Reiman: Optimization – can use the calculus the students have learned and apply them to situations and either maximize or minimize the amount something might hold or a max profit that may be received. It’s a lesson that shows how you can use the math they learn in the real world and outside of the classroom.
What’s your favorite memory from teaching so far?
Mr. Reiman: My favorite memories aren’t actually from teaching, it is actually the interactions I have had with students. I used to have an angry bird squishy and whenever students were off tasks or sleeping I would throw it at them to get them back focused. My very first year here the quarterback was sitting in the back of the class and he was talking during a quiz or assessment and I threw the angry bird at him and it landed perfectly in his quarter zip opening. The student then got up, came and shook my hand and said that was a good throw and went and sat back down. He was then a model student the rest of class. Different things like that are my favorite memories. Another football player was on a team his senior that won state and they decided for whatever reason to have a field goal kicking contest between the two of us and I won of course. Another memory is the NHS volleyball tournament, I am a 3x time champion. Would be 4 but wasn’t able to be here last year on that day. As well as the particular bonds I have and continue to build with students.
What’s something you wish your students knew?
Mr. Reiman: I wish my students knew how to be respectful. I would like my students to be more respectful. They ask or make comments on why teachers are not being respectful and I always reply that respect is a two way street. If you want respect then you have to give it as well. All teachers start off respectful until a certain point then the respect gets less and less. If disrespect is continuously given over and over, they lose the respect. I also wish they would know that there is time and place for everything. A lot of times the things that they want to do at school, school isn’t the time nor the place. You can do a lot of things you want to do but just don’t do it at school.
What were you like as a student? Has much of that changed since?
Mr. Reiman: During High School I was a straight A student during my Junior and Senior year. Sophomore year in chemistry I had a lower grade but, in all other classes freshman and sophomore year I had all As and Bs. I was your high school “jock” as I competed in wrestling, cross country, and baseball. All year round I was in the sport. During college I was an A and B student and never got a C. I went to college after my military career. 8 years after high school so I was 26 – 29 years old. I was more mature than my peers. I then got my master’s degree in mathematics, bachelor’s secondary mathematics for teaching, and minor for teaching history, spanish and qualified to teach middle school as well. My Masters is in pure mathematics which allows me to teach the dual credit class and there should be no question in math that I get asked I shouldn’t be able to answer. I may have to look at his resources for a refresher but once I see it I will know how to do it.
Finish this statement: If I wasn’t a teacher, I …
Mr. Reiman: I would clearly be doing something that has to deal with mathematics but, probably construction such as possibly home building.
So about your military career:
Mr. Reiman: I was in the Army. I picked the Army because it is the only branch you get to pick your own job in despite what other branches tell you, it’s not the entire truth. Others you pick the field of work but not the actual job. I also went to the Army because other family members had served and I wanted to follow their path. During my career in the army, I was at first an intelligence analyst, that’s why I learned spanish so when we would intercepted messages in spanish I would be able to translate and write reports and analyze the information and pass to the higher ups. The second job I had was an Army Recruiter. I was a Recruiter for Pekin and actually one point was at Dee-Mack in 2002. We went to all local schools around here such as Mackinaw, Tremont. Pekin and as far west as Lewistown, Canton and as far South as Havana, Cuba, and Mason City.
What are you like outside of school? What do you spend your time doing?
Mr. Reiman: I am the same way I am in school, I am very sarcastic all the time. My time spent outside of school, I hang out with my daughter, play softball, and do home projects such as gardening (not by my choice) . The most recent home project I did was build the pergola on my deck. The biggest project I’ve done is I ripped the bathroom out and built a new bathroom with a pantry as well and it was all done by myself and with the help of other family members. I also built my wife and I’s bedframe as well as my daughters. As well as a book nook for my daughter in her room. I also built kennels for my dogs that are designed to look at tables.
What is it like teaching a college level class? How has working at Dee-Mack High School made you the teacher you are today? How has that helped you be a better teacher?
Mr. Reiman: Same as teaching a regular class but, it is taught the same way as a high school class. The only difference is the grading as Calc and Pre – Calc do the A. B grading and Dee-Mack does standard based grading. His first year he taught at a big school with almost 2,000 students. He knew that 6 months in he wasn’t staying and so he started to apply to other places and Dee- Mack was one of them. He only applied at a small school, Dee-Mack has proven that he likes the small schools because he likes to be able to walk down the hall and see and know almost everyone in the halls. So, he knew that the small school setting was meant for him and Dee-Mack was a perfect fit for him. It has helped him be able to know math better than any of the students in the school and can help any of his students on a math problem of any kind.
Here’s what some of our students and staff have to say about Mr. Reiman:
Sophomore, Madison Finney:
- “Honestly, he’s one of those teachers who truly cares and takes the time to listen. He pushes you to understand the work, but also cares about you beyond the classroom. Mr. Reiman takes the time to ensure I understand how to succeed in class, and he’s always there to support me when I struggle. He’s someone I feel comfortable talking to about anything, and he’s had a huge impact on making my first year at this school such a positive experience.”
Senior, Lincoln Rassi:
- “Mr. Reiman is a great teacher because he doesn’t let us settle for less than we are capable of. We are always chasing full understanding and he is always willing to go deeper on a subject to help us understand the ‘why’ of the math we are studying. He cares about each of our situations and knows how to help each one of us learn in the best way possible. His classroom environment is very inviting to questions, and is a joy to be in even though the coursework is challenging. I love being involved in his room, and his humor always brightens my day.”
Mrs. Smallwood
- “Mr. Reiman and I have worked closely together for the past four years. He consistently supports our students while also providing valuable guidance to me when I first began working with Geometry content with limited experience. He took the time to ensure I felt confident with the material so that I could better support our students. His patience and calm demeanor help create a positive and effective learning environment. I enjoy working with Mr. Reiman and I am happy to call him a friend. :)”
Mrs. Uner
- “When I think of Mr. Reiman, Team is the word that I would use to describe him. He works with his students to be the best math version of themselves (even if they don’t want to); his coworkers strive to be a better teacher, by brainstorming ideas to help when things are tough; and the DeeMack Community by stepping up to fill a void, if he can help. We are lucky to have him on our team since he brings out the best in all of us”
Why I Choose Mr. Reiman:
I choose to do my teacher appreciation article on Mr. Reiman because he has been someone who I can always count on and look up to. From sophomore year when he first became my teacher we started to create a bond that not all kids get to experience. That bond has continued to grow and be something that I have started to value through my high school years. I am now a senior who’s about to graduate and it makes it just a little bit harder to leave this place behind because of that special bond we have. Mr. Reiman is a teacher that always listens to his students and will plan according to where they are and what they need. Mr. Reiman deserved the teacher spotlight because of the impact he has had on my life; I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for his support, motivation, and tireless commitment to my success.
