The Informer had a chance to interview the new French teacher, Mrs. Brandabur, about everything from her impressions on her first day of school, to what she likes to do in her free time. Furthermore, she compares her Woodlynde experience with her previous schools. When she isn't in the classroom she has some exciting hobbies that keep her active through the summer!
What are your first impressions of this school?
What a calm and wonderful place to learn! I also find that the students are so
supportive of one-another.
How does Woodlynde
compare with the other schools you have had experiences with?
I was with the
Abington School District before. The two
schools are very different in terms of their size. I love the way the day
starts here. I have a wonderful group of students as my Advisory and it's such
a nice way to start the day! At
Abington, there isn't a morning assembly, we had Homeroom. Homeroom is only 22 minutes, and it's very
hectic. The students create a daily news
show and it was about 15 minutes long.
Between handing out notices, the Pledge of Allegiance and taking
attendance, it was hard to actually check in with my students to see how things
were going.
What are some of the
more unique aspects of Woodlynde you have noticed?
The small class size
means that I have time to check everyone's work as they complete it. I can make sure everyone is on-track as we
progress.
Were you nervous the
first day of school?
No, just
excited. I was, however, a mess at Back
to School Night!
How many classes are
you teaching?
I am teaching 5
sections of French, 2 of which are independent study. Soon I hope to have a group of students
enrolled in an 'eco-craft' class, where we can create lap-top bags and shoulder
bags made with packaging materials.
How do you like
them?
I love every class but one.
(Just kidding, I really do love
them all.)
Why did you choose to
be a French teacher?
I was a substitute at Abington and really enjoyed it. One day I had a student that was very sad,
and he cried after class. I sat and
talked with him for a long time, but I couldn't follow up with him because a
substitute doesn't have that right. I
didn't want to be in that position again.
What college did you
go to?
I have a degree in French and
Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul,
MN. I also studied at the Sorbonne in
Paris for a year. I am currently
attending Chestnut Hill College to complete my Master's in Education and I will
finish in May, 2014.
What are your
Hobbies?
I love to bake and
cook, I love to sew and I love to hike and bike.
How did you spend
your summer?
Each summer, I host
a week of 'mom-camp' where I teach a group of 8 girls to sew and cook. We usually travel a fair amount, but this
year we just spent a week in Canada.
What are your
favorite t.v shows?
Madmen and Downton
Abbey. I only watch these two shows
because I can't find time to get caught up in any other series! It amounts to about 12 hours of TV a year.
What type of music do
you like?
Anything
that's on the radio.
