After 38 years of teaching at Palo Alto High School and leading the Math Department for the last four, math teacher Natalie Docktor is retiring at the end of this school year.
According to Docktor, her favorite part of teaching over the years has been connecting with her students in each class.
“The most rewarding part is being in the classroom with the students,” Docktor said. “I like having relationships with students; I like their input, excitement, energy and bright eyes. They’re optimistic and looking forward. The best part of teaching is definitely inside the classroom.”
Docktor said that when she retires, she will miss running into students and alumni outside of school.
“I won’t know kids in the community as much as I know kids in the community now,” Docktor said. “I was walking the [Stanford] Dish last week and I ran into this kid who I had 6 years ago. He’s already graduated from college and told me about what he did and he remembered he had me in pre-calc. He says that his math here is what gave him his confidence.”
As former instructional leader, Docktor is appreciative that math teacher Randolph Mercado will take on the responsibility
“I’m just so grateful that someone is willing to do it because it’s a lot of work,” Docktor said. “I’m really happy that he is and he’s young and hopefully he survives his first year and continues and does it for many, many years. It’s nice to have cohesiveness and Randolph gets along with everybody. I think Randolph is a great person to lead the math department to the future.”
Math teacher Kathleen Bowers, who is also retiring after decades working with Docktor, said she and Docktor have shared a long personal and professional history that began in graduate school, where they earned their teaching credentials together.
“Ms. Docktor and I met in graduate school when we were getting our teaching credentials,” Bowers said. “She did her internship at Paly and I did mine at Gunn. She then went to a different school for a year and I moved to Paly. She then came back to Paly the next year and we have been together ever since. We have been through it all together.”
According to Bowers, her friendship with Docktor extends far beyond the classroom — they have crossed paths in nearly every part of life, from living in the same house at different times to watching their kids graduate from Paly together.
“We both lived in the same house on Vernon Terrace at different times,” Bowers said. “We had kids at Paly that graduated in 2016, we spent many summers together at Eichler (Swim and Tennis club) where our kids were on the swim team together, we currently live about a quarter of a mile from each other [and] we are close and have shared so much of life together.”
According to Docktor, her inspiration in becoming a math teacher stemmed from an early love of math.
“Math was always my favorite subject,” Docktor said. “When I went to college, I went undeclared, but math was my favorite class. I liked to do the problem sets — it just made me feel good. So ultimately in my third year at Berkeley, I had to declare and I only needed five classes to get a math degree, so I became a mathematician. … I started tutoring and I loved that. I didn’t know that I wanted to be a teacher yet, but after a year of kind of floundering, I reflected on my life and realized I had been a camp counselor, a coach, a tutor — so I volunteered in a calculus class and then I applied to grad school.”
Bowers said her years working alongside Docktor at Paly have been filled with countless shared moments and lasting memories.
“We have shared so many memories over the years at Paly over the past 38 years,” Bowers said. “We have seen so many changes and shared so much of life together that I can’t even think of a favorite memory.”
According to junior Kathleen Wang, Docktor always brings a positive attitude to class and is supportive to both students and fellow teachers.
” She [Docktor] always seems upbeat and supportive of other teachers,” Wang said. “Ms. Docktor is very supportive and was really helpful when explaining concepts in Calc AB.”
Wang said Docktor creates a supportive environment by motivating students and allowing time during class to review material or get help when needed.
“She [Docktor] encourages students a lot and we also get a lot of time in class to work on reviews or do homework while also being able to ask her questions,” Wang said.
Wang said she is glad that Docktor might get the chance to try new things after retiring, especially after spending so many years at Paly.
“She [Docktor] has been at Paly for a really long time so I’m happy she will maybe get a chance to explore other things once she’s retired,” Wang said.
Sarah Laybourn • Jun 1, 2025 at 4:12 pm
What an incredible article about my amazing Auntie Natalie!! Her support of students and their futures made its way to me when it was time to apply for college. She pushed me to do so and because of her and my Auntie Des I went to university to study anthropology. She is always looking out for the best of all her students and family. Happy retirement Auntie Nat!! I love you!
Jamie • Jun 1, 2025 at 3:17 pm
Kathi and Natalie have been some of the most influential people in my life. So many students have been blessed by their care and dedication! Congratulations to both on their retirements!
Suz Antink • May 31, 2025 at 12:00 pm
Congratulations to both Nat and Kathi!! They’re both marvelous supporters of students and student learning! Kudos for unwavering loyalty to our students!!