Junior Matthew Shoykhet sits in a science classroom, his full attention directed toward his AP Chemistry teacher. His interest in organic chemistry and its role in science is piqued by the teacher’s passion for her work. At the front of the class stands science teacher Lori Ruderman.
Ruderman teaches honors and AP Chemistry, where she strives to put students’ interests first and foremost. She believes that by focusing on the students, she can improve the education process. “I love how she pays attention to the students,” Shoykhet said.
Ruderman’s style of teaching is ever-evolving. “[I’m] always trying out new things to see if it works, and if it doesn’t work, what [I can] change to make sure the students get their maximum understanding of the subject,” Ruderman said.
AP Chemistry poses a challenge for those who dare to take it. However, the course’s hardships prepare students for the “rigors of college,” Ruderman said.
Classes are structured to encourage students to work together in groups. In these groups, students can work on warm-ups, classwork and homework. “They’re forming those groups so that if they have questions when they’re doing their homework, they will ask each other, which is kind of how you learn in college,” Ruderman said.
Ruderman is known to bring a bright and cheery attitude to the workplace, as she is often seen with a smile on her face. “She likes to laugh,” science department head Michael Thompson said.
Ruderman is not only kind to staff but to her students as well. “She’s wonderful as a person in addition to a teacher,” Shoyket said.
Beyond her demeanor, Ruderman makes an effort to be an efficient and reliable teacher. She displays diligence, organization and a knack for writing student recommendation letters, science teacher Kristen Daugherity said.
Outside of the classroom, she likes to spend time with her family. She is a mother of three, who she likes to take snow skiing, water skiing and hiking. Playing games is one of Ruderman’s favorite ways to connect with her family. The Ruderman family has a tradition of trying out a new game every Thanksgiving. “Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don’t. We should be game critics,” Ruderman said.
Yet another one of Ruderman’s passions is her appreciation for traveling. The stories of her travels have often been passed on to students and staff. She has an “incredible traveling backstory,” Daugherity said
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At the end of June last year, Ruderman took her sister and eldest son on a two-week trip to Columbia. “We had such a good time,” Ruderman said.
A highlight of the trip to Columbia was their visit to a national forest just outside Bogotá. The forest was home to the only native spectacled bears, which her son longed to see despite the rarity of such a sighting. “We hiked, and it was cold, windy and horrible, and we stopped to wipe off our glasses, and we were like, ‘What’s that over there?’ And then the little black spot stood up and ran away. We were like, ‘We saw one! We saw one!’ and we were so excited,” Ruderman said.
