Teacher of the Year Robin Schuelke Inspires Her Students

Robin Schuelke, a math teacher at MHS, has been chosen as Milbank’s 2024 Teacher of the Year. Robin was nonplussed when Principal Dan Snaza declared she was the winner. “To be completely honest, I was shocked when Mr. Snaza announced my name,” she says. “I tell my students that I don’t do things in the classroom for any kind of award or recognition. This is such an honor, though, as the nominations are written by students, parents, staff, and community members.” Robin now qualifies to compete in the Region 5 Teacher of the Year. 

Robin has been teaching for 24 years and is in her third year at Milbank. She started her career with a 16-year stint at Hills-Beaver Creek High School in Hills, Minnesota. Then, she moved to Canby, Minnesota, where she taught algebra, geometry, and seventh-grade math. When she arrived in Milbank she began at Milbank Middle School and transferred to MHS. She now teaches an intro class to algebra and Algebra 1 and 3.  

When Robin was young, she had no idea she would become a teacher, although her mother put two and two together.  Robin explains, “When I was in grade school, my mom always knew how my day had gone because when I got home, I would replay what had happened in my pretend school room with my pretend students. I was an only child, so I played school a lot.”

She graduated from USD in Vermillion with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary math education with a middle school endorsement.  But in all probability, Robin would not have chosen education if she had not encountered her high school math teacher Duane Metz. Mr. Metz had been a math instructor in Parkston for a long time when Robin entered his classroom. In fact, he had taught math to Robin’s father when he was in high school. Mr. Metz’s long career however, was not the only reason Robin chose education as her vocation. The main reason might come as a surprise to her students. She says, “Math didn’t always come easy for me. So I spent just about every morning before school asking Mr. Metz questions about the homework problems I couldn’t figure out the night before. He was an excellent teacher and because of his influence, I became a teacher.” 

She believes the Socratic method – expanding the student’s mind through questions and discussion – still works, and she says the best advice she can give to parents is to encourage their child to come in for help when they don’t understand something. “Math is done differently than when I was in school and even when I first started teaching. I don’t expect parents to help their children learn math. I send a letter to parents at the beginning of each year, and at the end of my note, I always include this statement: You have already taken high school math, so you don’t need to take it a second time. I just hope parents will support and encourage their kids to do their best.”  

She also notes,” If you set goals when it comes to grades, keep them accountable, and make sure they maintain good attendance, your child will be successful in my class. Many times when a kid misses school, they don’t come in to see me and get an explanation. They just make up the work and they end up missing key points.”

She explains how in math each concept builds on another, especially at the Algebra 1 level. “That’s the toughest part of teaching math. It’s my job to ensure students reach mastery level of every concept. If they don’t, they will struggle throughout the year and in future math classes.” Although it’s no surprise math isn’t everyone’s favorite subject, Robin chalks it up to its complexity and the time and patience required to learn it. She tries her best to bring positive things into her classroom and banish the boredom.

“When I taught in Canby, I had a 45-minute drive one way to school so I had a lot of thinking time on the road.  Over the years, I created songs to help students remember the formulas.  Even students that are not fans of math sing them and smile once in a while,” she says. “Over the years, former students have told me they didn’t like singing them at the time, but those songs helped them to remember.”  

Fellow MHS math teacher Caitlyn Graf says, “Students who come to my class after having Mrs. Schuelke always mention her songs.  She’s known for having a math song to go with whatever the kids are learning, and if there isn’t one already created, she makes one up. Students will definitely remember her teaching style.”

Caitlyn also points to Robin’s Pi Day (3.14159265359) celebration as a sign of her creativity. “Mrs. Schuelke celebrates Pi Day every year on March 14 by having the students move their desks into a circle. They do circle activities and they eat the homemade pies she bakes!”

All this makes math more fun for the kids, but Robin says, “My favorite part of teaching is watching a student who finds a concept especially difficult and then after days of practice and putting in the time, the ‘light bulb’ goes off.  At that moment, the student feels good about themselves, and I feel so proud of them for what they have accomplished. Nothing tops that!”

But even a talented math instructor can find it difficult to divide up her week. No one has ever figured out how to solve the age-old problem of not having enough hours in a day. Robin says, “It’s not just a 7:45 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. job. That’s the toughest part about teaching in general, the time it takes to prepare and grade. My boys just know there will be time during the weekend when their mom will be at school.” 

When students are absent, extra time is also needed to get them caught up on the lessons they missed. Robin is up to the test. As Caitlyn notes, “Mrs. Schuelke is truly one of a kind with her positive energy and her willingness to go the extra mile for kids. When you walk by her classroom, there is always someone getting help. She happily gives up her free time to help her students.”  

Robin also serves as the MathCounts coach for the middle school grades. ‘I have been coaching MathCounts my entire career. I took over the program here in Milbank because all of the middle school math teachers coach wrestling or basketball in the winter. So, it just works out.”  

How does she spend her spare time?  When you multiply these professional responsibilities and add in the variables of being a wife and mom, they all subtract from the time she has for relaxing and hobbies. She responds with, “I don’t have much of that, but I do enjoy spending time with my husband, Russ, and our boys – Max a junior, Emmett a seventh grader, and Reese a third grader, and watching their activities.  We also share a cabin on Campbell Slough with two other couples, and we look forward to going there in the summer.”

The Schuelkes live on acreage near Revillo and Russ, a U.S. Navy chief who retired after 20 years, is a full time electrician for POET near Big Stone. He also farms part time with his dad, Jeff. Jeff plans to retire this spring, which means Russ will become much more “pro-tractor” as he will soon take over  the farming full time. 

Robin added to her busy schedule this year, too. She and teacher Nicci Stengel became the co-advisers of the Milbank chapter of Educators Rising. Members are high school students interested in becoming teachers. Robin says, “We have been advising this group just this school year, but we look forward to it growing in the future.” If 2024 is any indication, there’s no question about that. Four MHS Educators Rising students qualified to attend Nationals in Washington D.C. this summer. Robin says she enjoys collecting refrigerator magnets from places her family visits, so maybe there will be a U.S. Capitol or Washington Monument on her frig when school starts next year.

And maybe like many great educators before her, and Mr. Metz in particular, every day Robin helps to shape the future and inspires others to follow in her footsteps. As someone wise once said, “The influence of a good teacher can never be erased.” 

Photos: Top- Mrs. Schuelke Helping Senior math students.
Middle- MHS Principal Dan Snaza, Robin Schuelke and Superintendent Justin Downes.
Robin Schuelke and Caitlyn Graf.
Bottom – Russ, Max and Robin Schuelke.