A new teacher can be a nerve-wracking addition to campus for a student because of their unknown classroom methods. Will the new teacher give lots of homework? Do they have strict classroom rules? How often will they give tests? However, as a recent addition to the history department, Bessalee Downing has allayed uncertainty with her straightforward style.

With the departure of 10-year teacher Jon Hall, Downing picked up where Hall left off: teaching AP U.S. History, U.S. History and his civics and economics classes, Sept. 12.

?On the first day of school I did a 30-minute outline on how my class works,? Downing said, ?then we just started right into the class like I was there the whole time.?

Some students learn best from lectures and notes, while others benefit from visual media. Downing makes sure to cater to all types of learners.

?She always has prepared [projected notes] for the visual learners,? Nathaniel Nyberg, ’10, said, ?and reads out of the book for the readers like me. It really helps me understand the material.?

By her adaption to different teaching styles, she strives to help the students understand the material, but still provide a considerable challenge.

“I’m trying to pass,” Nathan Hinojosa, ’09, said. “Her classes are harder than others.”

Downing graduated from Sierra High School and attended Fresno Pacific University for her teaching credential. For her student training, Downing worked at Sunnyside High School for one semester.

“I wanted to become a teacher to pass on my passion for history,” Downing said. “I wanted to teach high school because I feel I can have more in-depth and philosophical discussions with the older kids.”

Downing’s fianc