An Interview with Ms. Lamberti

Augustine: Hi Ms. Lamberti! I hope everything is going well. How are you today? 

Ms. Lamberti: I’m doing well. How are you? 

Augustine: I am doing alright… a little bit sick. So, I know that we have met each other before especially that we are in the same club along with Ms. Hixson, whom I wish to interview for the next issue. I will be asking you a series of questions for our lovely newspaper team at North Star. 

Ms. Lamberti: I would be delighted to answer those questions. 

Augustine: Firstly, what subjects do you teach? And which courses? 

Ms. Lamberti: Mainly I teach Living Environment and an early version of it called LE1 or “Foundation of Science”. I also teach electives such as Human Anatomy, and I will be teaching Forensics in the Spring. 

Augustine: Which subject do you enjoy teaching the most out of all of those? 

Ms. Lamberti: I may be biased, but Living Environment, since that was my first love. 

Augustine: What was/is so special about the subject? 

Ms. Lamberti: I just felt that science always spoke to me at school. I liked Chemistry, and all the other sciences, but Biology and Living Environment I’ve always found interesting. I was always more interested to learn more about it, so I pursued it in college and here I am now! 

Augustine: What grades do you teach for Living Environment? 

Ms. Lamberti: Living Environment is mainly 9th grade students and some 10th graders as well. 

Augustine: What about Human Anatomy? 

Ms. Lamberti: That class is mainly sophomores to seniors. So, they are a bit older than the kids that I have in Living Environment. There are a lot more of them than my Living Environment class, but I was not as knowledgeable on the subject than I am with Living Environment, but it is still fun to teach. 

Augustine: And so, when did you move into the district? 

Ms. Lamberti: This is my first year here, brand new here! 

Augustine: So why did you choose North and what made you want to teach here? 

Ms. Lamberti: Well, going through the job searching process is hard. I got offered here and so did a lot of research before coming here, and I thought the school had a really nice mission statement behind it. It seemed like there was a lot of success here when I spoke to other people from the department. They all seemed nice and helpful, making it a good working environment and also a good learning environment for the students as well. So, I wanted to do my best and join and contribute to that environment. 

Augustine: That’s so awesome! What was the most interesting part of North that stood out to you? 

Ms. Lamberti: That is a really good question. When I first came here for an interview, I noticed how structured and organized everything was. You guys organized everything around. I saw all the different posters and stuff at the beginning of the year. So, I said to myself that this school loves to promote diversity and all the different activities for the kids, which made me realize how student-centered it is aside from academics. Because yes, school can be rough, and all these sports and clubs can help kids alter their mindset and take a break from academics to those activities to help them get through the day and get busy. 

Augustine: A very good answer. Why did you choose to teach science?   Ms. Lamberti: Like I said from before, I always had this interest in science at high school and college. At first, I did not know I wanted to be a teacher. I was thinking more of a lab researcher at first, then realizing in my later years of college that maybe lab work was not the best for me because there is a lot of time and effort. Obviously teaching is too, but realizing that it wasn’t my favorite thing to do, and I kept being told by a bunch of peers growing up that I was really good tutoring them in science when I was in high school and college. They said I was really good at helping people, that I had a caring attitude, and encouraged me to become a teacher. It was something that I really didn’t consider at first, but when I put more thought into it, I realized that this was something that I see I could be doing and so I started pursuing it in my master’s program and realized during my observations from teaching that I loved doing it. So, I was able to do something that I was loving to do in a subject that I loved, so it came naturally to me at that point. 

Augustine: That’s pretty cool. A follow up question: Do you plan on teaching on anything else in the Science section besides Living Environment?  

Ms. Lamberti: I may go back and pursue another- right now I am only licensed to teach Living Environment, but possibly I might go back for Chemistry. I also like Chemistry, but I like Living Environment more; however, if I were to teach another science, preferably Chemistry… or Earth Science. 

Augustine: And so, how do you like North so far? 

Ms. Lamberti: I love it! I really do, I’ve had very good experiences here so far. 

Augustine: What were some good experiences that you had? 

Ms. Lamberti: My department here, everyone is very friendly. We all seem to get along well. The students are great, kind, and respectful, but sometimes you guys don’t finish your work. Overall, you guys are wonderful students in this great environment, and I do value the student’s education and their overall success. 

Augustine: I agree. Sometimes, even I struggle to hand in some assignments. We all appreciate it! What is your favorite thing so far about North…any specific CLUB or Living Environment classes? 

Ms. Lamberti: You knew what I was thinking. Not just because it is you interviewing me, but my experience directing the Drama Club was my favorite thing so far. It was new. It was scary because that was something neither Ms. Hixson nor I did before. We were part of shows, but we never directed one, so it was brand new to us we did not know what we were doing. We took one experience we did have, hoped to push it forward working with you guys to make sure that we met whatever you guys wanted us to do and that we were meeting what you wanted to do. And we made it happen and put on a great show. It was very fulfilling and a very fun time. 

Augustine: We appreciate all the things you guys have done for us so far! A few more questions, some fun ones for some Ms. Lamberti Trivia. What is your favorite food and why? 

Ms. Lamberti: My favorite food…I always bop back and forth between my favorite food. I am definitely not a healthy eater, so I don’t like healthy food. But my favorite food in general either has to be pizza because I love pizza so much, or I guess it is more than a dessert than a food but ice cream. 

Augustine: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? 

Ms. Lamberti: Cookies n' cream HANDS DOWN! 

Augustine; Very good choice in flavor of ice cream. Also, what is a hobby that you enjoy doing? 

Ms. Lamberti: Two main hobbies, when I am not busy with work and absent from the science stuff, I do are either playing video games or also, as you know, I did theater in the past and I keep up with it and so I continue to perform theater. 

Augustine: Interesting hobbies! I love playing video games myself. What is your favorite video game? 

Ms. Lamberti: I guess maybe because it was a nostalgia place holder from way back in the day, my brother used to play this game called Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney on the Gameboy: a Nintendo console, specifically an old Capcom. 

Augustine: Oh! The lawyer game! 

Ms. Lamberti: It has a big place holder in my heart. They just released a remastered version and even has its own animated show. It reminded me of all the good times I had with my brother! 

Augustine: Ace Attorney is one of my favorite games as well. Regarding theater though, what was your favorite production that you were part of or watched that was impactful to you. 

Ms. Lamberti: Favorite one I was a part of was not in high school but in college, in an outside theater company. It was called Les Miserables, which has been on Broadway for a very long time. It takes place in France, during the 1700s, where there was this guy who has been thrown into prison for stealing. The prison guard watching him was being released, which allowed the prisoner to escape. The prisoner would then start to make a better life for himself such as adopting a daughter; however, the prison guard is still chasing after the prisoner. It is a very sad play, obviously since Les Miserables translated is the Miserables, but it is a very good play overall. 

Augustine: Oh dear! I may have to check that out later! Well, that is a wrap for interview. Thank you, Ms. Lamberti, for this moment, it was very fun interviewing you, and I hope we are able to see each other again very soon! 

Ms. Lamberti: It was pleasure being here Augie, see you soon!