Goodbye Mr. Tannas! We will miss you!

As many of you know, multiple teachers at Mayfair High School are retiring including 7th Grade math teacher Mr. Tannas. Teacher Lawrence Tannas has been working at Mayfair Middle and High School for quite some time. In an interview, I asked him a few questions about himself and his experiences through his years of teaching.

Question 1: How long have you been teaching overall?

• "For 31 years, since 1994."

Question 2: Have you taught any other subjects? If so, what was your favorite?

• "Nope, just this one. I’ve always loved teaching math and the 7th graders are just crazy enough to keep me awake. It's fun!"

Question 3: What will you do after retirement? 

• "That's a good question. I think I'll spend the first year trying to figure out what I'm gonna do. And probably just, I’ve got a few older cars that I’d like to work on, some vintage cars and do some traveling with my wife."

Question 4: What was your favorite moment during your career?

• "Well there was the first time that I moved into my current classroom, Room 406. It was a brand new classroom, no one had ever taught there before, so it was just really fun because everything was new and it smelled like a new car and I really felt the responsibility that I had, all the, y'know, the whole classroom just ready to go."

Question 5: What got you into teaching?

• "I always thought it would be a fun way to make a living, more fun than, y'know, working in some office or doing other things that you could do. I also thought that teaching would be the kind of job that people would always need, and I would always be able to find a job. Also, my dad and grandma were also school teachers, so it just sorta seemed to fit."

Question 6: Any advice you want to give to the students and/or teachers?

• "I think one thing to remember is that it's never too early to start thinking about what you wanna do for your career. Even if you're a freshman or a sophomore or a junior, start making decisions like that now. And things could change, but at least you're thinking about what you wanna do and not waiting till you're, y’know, 25 years old to where you decided just because. It’s better to think of something first so it'll be something you'll enjoy."

  
  

I wish Mr. Tannas a good time in retirement. Though I may not have had him as a teacher, I will miss him, and I’m sure many others will miss him as well. Best of luck, Mr. Tannas. We will miss you!