Ms. Freel – Music Teahcer
Interviewed by Imani Smith
When did you first start singing?
“I’ve been singing forever, making up little songs and things when I was a kid, but I started singing in a choir formally when I was 3.”
Who’s your favorite music artist?
“I like a lot of different things. I like variety so I just change it up depending on whatever mood I’m in, but Sarah Bareilles is probably my favorite artist of all time. I love her musical Waitress and all of her songs, albums, and her EPs are just beautiful pieces of art. She’s a really kind and genuine person and I just love her creativity. I also love Ben Folds, kind of akin to Sarah Bareilles. Recently, I’ve been into this band called Bomba Estéreo. I’ve been into Vulfpeck, they’re pretty great. You know, Billie Eilish and stuff.”
What would you be doing if you weren’t a teacher, or what did you want to do when you were a kid?
“Oh my gosh, what didn’t I want to do when I was a kid? I wanted to be a WNBA player, I wanted to be an archeologist, so many things. But 8th grade was when I decided that this was what I wanted to do. So if I wasn’t doing this I think speech pathology would be interesting, again kind of akin to what I’m doing a little bit but slightly different and more on the medical side.”
Mrs. Fairley – Assistant Principal
Interviewed by Anjola Awofeso
Why/How did you choose your profession? How does it compare to what you wanted to do when you were in high school?
“My mom was a teacher’s aide in a classroom with students who have special needs. I wanted to work with children, however, I chose the criminal justice route– I wanted to be a probation officer. [While working with young people] I thought what I could do to make a difference early before they ended up in the courtroom. I decided to change my major my junior year to special education.”
What is your ideal day off?
“Breakfast at dinner, running, reading a book, and spending time at the beach. I really love reading. My husband will be watching football or whatever and I’ll just be sitting there with a book.”
What is something you’ve learned from a student?
“To accept and reflect. I noticed that during this time especially, both students and teachers have to accept change.” “I may not do everything right the first time, but I continue to reflect. I accept I may make bad choices but I am trying to do the right thing by students and families.”
Ms. Green – BSAP Liaison
Interviewed by Lawson Mungo
“I became a teacher because I got the T for T scholarship out of high school. I graduated from Wilde Lake and they agreed to pay for my school in exchange I had to come teach for three years so this is my first year of those three years.”
Would you rather be a teacher or a student and why:
“That’s a hard question. I feel like I’m gonna say teacher because you have a lot more fun with what you’re doing as a teacher and you get to choose all of it, but I did really like being a student too and there is less responsibility.”
How as your past experience as a student impacted your teaching style:
“I loved school when I was in school, I always had straight A’s, loved my teachers, loved being at school and tried to stay at school for as long as possible. So I try to create that kind of environment for my students when they come in here and make it a comfortable space just to be in. I try to make the content as engaging as I can so they feel like they want to pay attention to what we are talking about”.
Ms. Krunst – Art Teacher
Interviewed by Sophie Saunders
What would you be if you weren’t a teacher?
“Uh, probably a graphic designer.”
What advice would you give to your past self?
“That’s a good one. I’d say one thing I really liked that someone told me was to imagine how your life would be if you had no fear and do that, so I think I would probably say that.”
What was your favorite part of high school?
“I loved playing sports, I played lacrosse and tennis and I also loved art classes.”
Ms. Barker – Science Teacher
Interviewed By Quinny Boyle
What college did you attend and what did you major / minor in?
“I went to the University of Maryland twice. First, I got my undergraduate degree in Bioengineering and then I went back for a Masters in education.”
Who is your favorite musical artist/band?
“There’s so many good ones, I guess I’d have to say 3-11.”
What is your all-time favorite movie?
“Probably the Princess Bride… the movie is wonderful”
Ms. Boltt – Special Educator
Interviewed by Maria Wilkinson
When you were in high school, what did you want to do when you left high school?
Ms. Boltt: I knew I wanted to work in a disability field. So I actually worked in the Bolt transition services as my first job out of college and I found that really fulfilling but I knew I wanted to transition into teaching so now I am here.
What advice would you give to your past self?
Ms. Boltt: “Nothing happens like you expect. Nothing you plan so just kinda be open to change.”
If you could jump anywhere in time, past or future or present, where would you go, What time?”
Ms. Boltt: Good question.. I would probably go to the 1960’s… cause I feel like that was a very interesting time to be in America.
Ms. Gillis – Media Specialist
Interviewed by Lilie Theby
What advice would you give to Atholton Students?
“A lot of advice. I think my best piece of advice is to take your learning into your own hands. It’s your education, so it’s not your teachers, it’s not your parents. Make it yours.”
How do you feel about assigned reading vs. letting students pick literature they are interested in?
“I think that there’s value in both, so picking what you are interested in is a relaxation tool. You know it’s something where I can just read what I want, read at my own pace. But, there’s something to be said about teachers who assign something, that makes you think about some things you would not just think about.”
What is your favorite book and why?
“That’s hard. I would go back to when I was around your age, I read this book called ‘Tiger Eyes’ by Judy Bloom. It was the first time I could actually see myself. It was like all of these feelings you have as a teenager, and you feel like no one understands. She nailed it. And after that, I never stopped reading.”
Mr. McGibben – Staff Member
Interviewed by Angie Smitson
What was your major in college? Where did you go?
“My major was in mathematics at the University of San Francisco, and I have a teaching credential also from the University of San Francisco.”
If you didn’t teach the subject that you currently do, what would you teach?
“I’m not sure I would teach something different if I had the opportunity. I taught math for a long time, and I absolutely enjoyed that, as well as computer science. I could do cooking… that would be interesting.”
What do you wish that you had known when you were your student’s age?
“I wish I had known not to use the calculator and depend on it as much as I did. It really made things difficult in college when the calculator doesn’t actually help you. I also wish I knew that the effort actually mattered instead of just trying to just give up.”
Mrs. Mahoney – ESOL teacher
Interviewed by Ava Montzouranis
“How would you define ESOL and what you learn in the class?”
“ESOL is defined by the use of English by speakers of other different native languages. The purpose of the class is to acquire linguistic and cultural knowledge related to academic settings.”
“How would you describe your teaching style and how you run a classroom?”
“My teaching style includes getting to know each student individually, so as to embrace their background, and use their strengths to build an inclusive classroom setting. I like to incorporate academic language that may be applied to all areas of study, as well as engage in social settings and language skills.”
“What is your biggest pet peeve?”
“When my computer moves slowly.”
Mr. Woodson – BCMS
Interviewed by Neve Schulmeyer
What are you looking forward to most for this school year?
“I would say probably getting used to being in the building. This is my first year actually in the building as a teacher. Last year I was at Reservoir and I went between Reservoir and Long Reach, but I was coaching football here last year in that short season. So just familiarizing myself with and getting to know staff as well as students other than football players. And, I’m teaching two contents that are new to me, I haven’t taught before, so I’m trying to familiarize myself with the content.”
What was your favorite part of your highschool experience?
“Sports. Honestly playing sports, I played baseball and football in high school. And when I wasn’t playing, fall was football season, spring was baseball season, in the winter I didn’t play a sport I was always doing something. So I was in a club it was called the theater club where they actually did performances, but I was on the stage crew. So we actually built the set, So I was always pretty good with my hands and building things. It kept me out of trouble and it was like my second home. I loved being at school.”
What is your biggest Pet Peeve?
“Not being honest, honestly. You know everybody makes mistakes but you know just come clean and try not to make the same mistake. But don’t lie about it. I can deal with someone doing something wrong and having that conversation and just trying to fix it, cause we’re always working on ourselves.”
Mrs. Wright – Counselor
Interviewed by Princess Serebour
How does your favorite teacher influence your current teaching style?
“My favorite teacher influenced my current teaching style because he taught me to be prepared and just know my content. He was a social studies teacher so I also wanted to be a social studies teacher and he was also very chill and relaxed. He would sit at his desk with his feet up eating chips and I just appreciated his lax nature. I had a lot teachers that were so anal and I didn’t like that, he was a very relaxed teacher.”
What is something you learned from a student?
“My students I think as a whole have taught me, I go through a lot and they are also going through a lot and you should treat people like they are going through something. You shouldn’t bark at everybody with such high expectations.”
Mrs. Winand– P.E./Health
Interviewed by Carlie Lamertina
What would you be doing if you weren’t a teacher/ what other job would you want?
“Oh I don’t know, I’ve never actually thought about that before. That’s a tough question. Before I decided I wanted to be a teacher I wanted to do something in the FBI or be a detective.”
What’s your favorite sport? What team?
“My favorite sport is lacrosse and my favorite team has got to be maryland.”
5 words to describe yourself?
“That’s hard, oh I don’t know. I think I’m nice, oh I have to do 5? Can I do three? Oh I’m caring and I’m strong.
How long have you been teaching? How do you like it so far?
“It is my first year and I love Atholton so far, it’s awesome.”
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