Bienvenue Mme. Brandabur!

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.