Here's What Others Have To Say...

Parent Reviews

"I write you... as a parent who has been fortunate to have now a second child in Nancy Retter's [profoundly gifted] class.... Nancy is truly one in a million, just what is needed for our special-needs (very bright) children. She is not only passionate, engaging, and talented, but she is the reason that we, and many other parents have sent children into the San Diego public school system at all."

"The year [my daughter] spent with Mrs. Retter in 6th grade was her very favorite year because for the first time in her life, a teacher understood how to challenge and channel her intelligence. Mrs. Retter really understands that most Seminar (profoundly gifted) kids ARE different from other kids in the way they think and perform, and she is able to make the very most of that. We have had nice teachers since then, but never anyone who has made her think like Mrs. Retter did.

In 6th grade my daughter was so excited to go to school every single day because Mrs. Retter made the class exciting, interesting, fun and challenging. She incorporated English, History, and current events into her creative lessons and opened my daughters eyes to the world. Mrs. Retter's class was perfectly accelerated as she understands how fast [profoundly gifted] kids grasp subjects and concepts. She moved quickly and never allowed them to get bored, as has happened with so many other slower moving [gifted] classes.

Nancy is a phenomenal teacher and [my daughter] thrived all year. I've never seen a teacher give so much of herself, or care so deeply about her kids, or better prepare them for their future—both academically and socially. The level of respect and support her kids have for each other is unparalleled, and a direct result of her expectations and teaching style.

"I appreciate all that you have done to expand [my son]'s book knowledge as well as "life lessons" knowledge. [My son] is a very sensitive person but can tend to be very self-centered and this year he has really learned to look outside himself more - Thanks to you"

Students of Miss Nancy

"I used to be a student of yours in the 1991-1992 school year at Miramar Elementary School. My maiden name is G.S., I was in 6th grade at the time, and I wanted you to know that to this very day I've always considered you to be my favorite teacher. I got bored at work today and started looking up things from my old neighborhood in Scripps Ranch. Then I thought of you, and found that you're now a teacher at Thurgood Marshall Middle School. I read some of your philosophies and smiled because it seems that after all of these years, your personality has remained the same.

I wanted to say that I remember you as always being a very passionate teacher who was always so full of knowledge. I think I still have the name tags from our desks that you laminated with our names in English as well as it being written in Russian. Our class I also distinctively remember some of the Latin worksheets you used to give us that taught us prefixes, suffixes and root words. Those lessons stayed with me and have helped me through future classes because at such a young age, I had already been exposed to big words, etc. Your help made me a better student and I'm happy to say I excelled through high school and 4 years of college."

"I cannot tell you how great it was to have been in your class. I look back and realize the greatest growth I had in English was in your class, and without you it would have been harder to get to where I am today. Tell your students that I'm still using your techniques. I try to keep folders, one for each separate class, and a separate notebook. It comes in handy to have a table of contents, and when we have to turn in our notes, it has been wonderful to receive good feedback. Throughout high school and college I've used many studying techniques I learned back in your class. I still use 'succinct' and 'quintessence', and I know what they mean.

I know I probably have several teachers to thank who have helped me, but I can't seem to forget you and all that you had done for me...I remember you telling our class that you had a college student telling you that they still used the things they learned in your class. Well, I thought about that today, and you can use my testimonial for your classes. Not that I was an amazing student back then, but that you were a great teacher. Thank you so much."

"As my parents said when I graduated high school, I made it through with my soul intact. And, you know, I owe you a huge debt for that.

I remember my sixth or seventh grade year (not sure which), when you dressed up as a conformist for Halloween. I thought that was awesome—and I think, even at the age of 12, that I was comforted, or something, by someone taking that attitude to conformity--an attitude which very few people around me were taking.

And I remember all the books you lent me and gave me, all the conversations we had about Jacobites and thing...I remember all the Bab 5 meetings which I came to not for the game, but for the rare opportunity to socialize with someone outside my family who got it.

I am so, so very grateful that you've always told it like it is, and you've never shut up."