Mr. Ian Kreher gets home from another long day teaching math at SCH on a Friday. Being as exhausted as he is, most would kick their feet up and relax, or maybe go out and get a bite to eat. Mr. Kreher, though, wrestles with his four year-old son, Fox. Using his old fashioned wrestling moves, enjoying every moment, he plays with Fox for too long—until one of them likely gets hurt, and then it’s bedtime. This is what Mr. Kreher likes to do, as it makes his son laugh.
Fox is one of his two children, who he values most in his life. The balance of his passion for teaching and quality time with his wife and kids exhausts him at times, but he is living a life that he loves.
Mr. Kreher is one of the most-liked teachers at SCH and excels at teaching different levels of math. What makes his role so important is his skill of forming connections with students, making it easier for them to ask for help. His true passion for not only teaching, but also for math reflects onto the students, making his class engaging and interesting.
Mr. Kreher has always found the math concepts interesting, but for him, teaching these concepts to students is more than just a job: it is an opportunity to be a figure at the school that students can really connect with. He wants students to see his passion for teaching and discover their own interests. Seeing the concepts clicking in a student’s head gives him the satisfaction of knowing that he is teaching them some important things.
Growing up in upstate New York, Ian Kreher always had a natural way with numbers, and he chose to major in biometry and statistics at Cornell University, where he learned how to use statistics, mathematics, computing, and other methods to solve problems in diverse fields. Still figuring out what he wanted to do in life, he stuck with this major and plowed through.
His first job, which he didn’t truly enjoy, was with an insurance company. “I would go to work at that insurance company every day and just be bored out of my mind. I hated it so much, but it was a guarantee of a high paying job,” he explained.
Through years of tutoring some kids on the side, though, he realized that he would thrive better in a classroom environment. He has a natural skill for teaching others and helping concepts click in their head. It was hard for him to make the decision to switch career paths, but he knew he needed to try to do what he would truly enjoy.
Eleven years later, Mr. Kreher still has a blast while teaching math, reflecting his true passion. “Teaching was a second career for me, and I knew, ‘Oh, I’m going to love doing this.’ I’ve always loved math, I’ve always been passionate about it, I’ve always been able to bring that enthusiasm for it that other people might not have, and hopefully that’s what I’m doing in the classroom.”
Today, Mr. Kreher teaches math to high school students at SCH. Beyond just his class, he is well-known by all students of the school as being a likeable teacher. “Mr Kreher teaches my Honors Calculus class, and it’s one of the most fun classes I’ve taken in my time here at SCH. He brings so much great energy to the classroom and is always looking to help,” said one of his students, Nick Simon ’ ‘26. This is what Mr. Kreher goes for.
“I had a professor, George W Hudler, who taught Magical Mushrooms and Mischievous Molds, which I took as a senior. And I was originally like, ‘okay, this class is silly.’ But this guy absolutely loved his job and the stuff he was teaching.. I learned so much from that guy because he loved what he was doing, and that’s kind of what I am going for as a teacher,” said Kreher.
Whether it’s spending quality time with his wife or kids, or staying after class to help a student understand, Mr. Kreher truly cares about the people around him, and wants to have as much of a positive impact as he can.
“Next year my daughter will come to school here, when she can be in the ECC. Fox will be in pre K. We’ll be coming in every day together. I’m looking forward to it. We’re gonna have a brand new, fully built-out beautiful home, and both of my kids are going to be here with me,” he said.
When Mr. Kreher’s house was destroyed by a tree, the SCH community didn’t hesitate to help him out. Architecture teacher Juliet Fajardo worked on the redesign of his new house, and an SCH parent is doing the construction. Mr. Kreher’s positive impact on the community prompted him to receive help in return. He is going to continue to do what he is passionate about in the future, explaining how he just wants to appreciate what’s going on.
Exhaustion doesn’t stop Mr. Kreher from going to work every day, teaching each of his students with enthusiasm and passion, then coming home and spending quality time with his wife and kids. This restless full time commitment doesn’t only come from his kindness, but the fact that he truly loves it, and wouldn’t want it any other way. “I would like other people to see me as just like a friendly guy who’s interested in helping others, wants to make you laugh, and has your back.” He has undoubtedly accomplished this and will continue to make his mark here at SCH, and continue to wrestle his son when he gets home.
