A windowless classroom sounds like torture, but when Mr. Albers is the teacher, it’s a sanctuary. On the first day in the classroom, I was expecting a boring syllabus and guidelines for the class, but instead I was greeted with a smile. He made each student feel comfortable; and he was just like one of the students. Mr. Albers was constantly joking with us and trying to relate, this helped the class actually try and understand him.
Mr. Albers wasn’t just funny, but he was also passionate about what he discussed in environmental biology. He had us read articles that were relatable to how we live our lives in Wisconsin. Mr. Albers was constantly researching subjects that interested him, and because of this, he was able to intrigue us. He was a sponge, constantly absorbing new and exciting information to share with the class.
He shared personal information that could relate to the different topics we learned about. While discussing nutrition in soil, Mr. Albers shared how he takes care of plants in our own garden. He also gave ideas on how to improve our soil at our homes, suggesting we create a compost bin.
The articles we read on a daily basis were both controversial and intriguing. They discussed everything from how to properly dispose of prescription pills, to how a new disease is killing hundreds of white tail deer in Wisconsin. These articles were both relatable and fascinating.
The class was extremely important to me because I plan on entering a profession which involves the environment. Mr. Albers understood my passion for the environment and he helped me learn everything I wanted. Every unit was exciting for me—soils, minerals, rocks, forestry, and the list goes on.

Mr. Albers knocks down the boring walls put up by the education system, and he makes his students feel at home. Every day in class was different and exciting. He never followed the guidelines he even made, and he was spontaneous and smiling. And by the end of the semester, I actually learned something in that windowless classroom I was once afraid to enter.