Maria Tsevdos 26'
Every year Fontbonne chooses one of its new faculty members to interview and do a Teacher Feature on. Ms. Alexa Amato was the teacher selected for The Folio’s November issue. Ms. Amato, who teaches social studies, was asked fifteen questions, all of which are listed below.
What is your full name?
My full name is Alexa Amato.
When is your birthday?
September 26.
Where did you spend your childhood?
I grew up on Staten Island.
What career did you want to have when you were a child, and why?
I always wanted to be a teacher. I have loved learning and helping others from as early as I could remember. To me, being a teacher was a great way to combine both of those things.
Where did you attend college?
I attended Adelphi University.
What was your favorite subject in school, and why?
My favorite subject was social studies. I loved learning about the past, taking from the past, and learning about the past. There is a lot we can learn about ourselves and the current world by using the past.
What is your overall favorite unit in the classes you are teaching?
In AP World we do a unit on revolutions, and for me personally it is the most interesting. Similar to my other answer there is a lot we can learn about human nature through revolutions. Over history we see the same things from people wanting to change society. Similarly to what I said before about learning about the past, we learn about how we live in a society. What we look for in a government, and what we look for in a society.
What is your overall least favorite unit in the classes you are teaching?
I wouldn’t say my least favorite, but modern history. Modern history is still changing, so it is hard to look at it the same way we look at other types of history. I still enjoy it, but it is different because we don’t know the consequences of modern history yet. We learn a lot from the consequences from other types of history, and it is hard when these events are still happening.
What is your favorite thing about Fontbonne so far?
I have to say, I think the community. I really like that everyone, all the students and faculty, know and care about each other. It is a type of an environment everyone thrives in, and being new I feel very welcomed.
What is your favorite thing about teaching?
My favorite thing is connecting with students and getting to know them. Though I am the teacher, I find myself learning a lot from them. I learn about things I do when I teach, what works and what doesn’t. I enjoy that personal connection with my students.
What is your biggest struggle when it comes to teaching?
Finding my brand as a teacher. I’m still looking for my exact teaching style, what exactly works for me. I try some things out, and sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. Being okay that things aren’t always going to be perfect, and being okay with the mistakes I might make.
Lastly, a lightning round:
Favorite color?
Red is my favorite color.
Favorite book?
The Secret History by Donna Tartt.
Favorite movie?
Forrest Gump.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I can solve a rubik’s cube in under two minutes.
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