Carroll math teacher retires
By Jennifer Archibald Staff writer

Downham

Judy Downham of Burlington retired this year from Carroll Consolidated School Corporation after teaching there 31 years.

A math teacher, she taught pre-algebra, advanced math, and GQE preparation, and formerly taught algebra and seventh grade math.

She is a native of Boone County and received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Purdue University. She has taught a total of 33 years.

Downham said her desire to become a teacher went back to her own schooldays.

"I enjoyed helping my friends with their school work," she said.

As a math teacher, she said she has tried to prepare her students for the next level, and has urged them to continue on in studying math.

"Once students drop out of math, they start to limit their career choices," she said.

Downham said things have changed a lot since she began her teaching career.

"I didn't own a calculator when I started teaching," she said. "Now they're a requirement for some classes." She added that the computer has made grades easier to calculate in recent years, and email has made it easier to contact parents.

Downham said her students have proven to her that they can succeed when they put forth their best effort.

She said she enjoys talking to former students and reading about them in the paper. She said hearing about their successes is the reward for teaching.

Downham's husband, Terry, also just retired. He taught math at Kokomo High School. Their oldest daughter, Jennifer Downham, teaches math at Lafayette Jeff. Their other daughter, Stephanie Hochstetler, is admissions counselor at Bethel College.

"Teaching has worked well with our family life," Downham said. "It allowed us to be available for our daughters' activities."

She said in her retirement, she plans to enjoy life - do more reading, sewing, and playing the piano. She and her husband also plan to do some traveling.