Teacher Spotlights 2014
June Edition
Mrs. Rasmussen (Teacher, Learning Center)
Interviewed by Ethan Duncan (1st Grade) on June 4
Click here to listen to Ethan's interview.
How many years have you been teaching here?
I have been teaching here for almost three and half years.
Is this the first school you’ve taught at?
No, I’ve taught at the Medway school district.
What is your favorite thing to teach here?
My favorite thing to teach is reading, here. Or what we call literacy.
Why is reading your favorite subject?
I like reading the best because here’s so much to learn. It’s entertaining and it’s informative.
What does that mean?
Fiction is entertaining, and there’s so much to learn from non-fiction. It’s fun.
Where do you live?
I live in Medway. It takes me a half an hour to get here.
What do you like to do when you aren’t working at school?
I like to garden, plant flowers, and cook and go to my daughter’s soccer games and cheerleading competitions. I like to be with my daughter and family.
What’s your favorite flower?
A peony.
Who is in your family?
I have three daughters: Gabrielle, 21, Stephanie, 17 and Alexa, 15. Gabrielle lives at college, though she is home for the summer. Next year Stephanie will be at college and Alexa will be the only one home. And I have a husband, his name is Mr. Rasmussen. And I have one dog. She is a toy poodle. Her name is Mandy and she weighs eight pounds. She is really little. And she fits into American Girl doll clothes.
My first name is Marie. My husband’s first name is Tim.
What’s your second favorite subject?
Writing.
What’s your favorite book?
That’s a tough one. The favorite I like to read to students is A Bad Case of Stripes. One of my favorite books is The Secret Life of Bees. It has a really nice message
Is there anything else you’d like to say that I haven’t already asked you?
I really love my job. I love my job and love working with Kindergarteners, first graders and second graders. I think I’m pretty lucky to come and work here at Ben-Hem. I think it’s a terrific group of students and teachers.
April Edition
Mr. Roper (Teacher, Music)
Interviewed by Nate Lord (3rd Grade) on April 10
What was your first instrument?
Piano. My mother was a piano teacher. She taught me when I was 5.
What college did you go to?
I lived in Nebraska and I went to the University of Nebraska.
When did you start teaching at Ben-Hem?
2007
Did you always want to be a music teacher?
No! I wanted to be a performer in a band! The years before I was a teacher, I was in a band and orchestra.
Did Ben-Hem have recorder concerts before you came?
No, I don't think so. I'm pretty sure that I was the first music teacher that did recorder concerts.
March Edition
Mrs. Nemeskal (Teacher, First Grade)
Interviewed by Bella Tramboulakis (1st Grade) on March 26
What is your favorite food?
Pasta
What is your favorite animal?
A Giraffe. She got to feed one when she was in Florida in February.
Do you have any pets?
Two dogs
How old are your kids?
Frank and Jake are 2 years old.
What games do you play with your kids?
Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes and Ball
What do you do on the weekends?
Take walks and go shopping and see family
What is your favorite kids movie?
Toy Story
Who is your favorite character?
Woody
What is your favorite kids book?
The Velveteen Rabbit and The Bike Lesson
What is your favorite song?
Happy (by Pharrell Williams)
What is your favorite store?
The stores in Patriots Place
Do you like your job?
I love my job!
What is your favorite ice-cream flavor?
Coffee
Sprinkles or whipped cream or both?
Sprinkles if she is having a cone or whipped cream if it is in a bowl.
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A teacher
What is your favorite tv show?
Ellen
What do you do for fun?
She plays with her boys and goes shopping with her sister.
Who is your favorite president?
Abraham Lincoln because he tried to make things fair for all people.
What is your favorite thing about watching kids learn?
Seeing them get better at things and work hard.
What's your favorite thing to teach?
Reading and writing because you need it for everything.
What is your favorite thing to make for dinner?
Stirfry
Mrs. Huse (Teacher, First Grade)
Interviewed by Ryan Fernandes and Colin Chin (2nd Grade) on March 27
What was your favorite show when you were young?
The Jetsons
What is your favorite color?
Red
Do you have a pet?
Murphy the dog
What was your favorite toy when you where young?
Barbies
What are you best at doing?
Burning everything that I cook
What is your least favorite thing to do?
Cooking
Did you go to private or public schools when you were young?
Public and a private high school
What is your favorite animal?
Dogs
What is your favorite subject to teach?
Science
What is your son's name?
Brody
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Astronaut
What are your hobbies?
Skiing, hikes, going to the park with my kids, reading
What is your favorite food?
Sushi
What is your favorite restaurant?
Oishi
February Edition
Ms. Gavin (Teacher, Student Services)
Interviewed by Shawn Tardif (4th Grade) on February 14
Shawn Tardif is a fourth grader, here at Ben Hem, in Ms. Gavin's classroom. Shawn has Down Syndrome and is non-verbal. He interviewed Ms. Gavin on his iPad which he uses along with sign language to communicate. Ms. Gavin told Shawn her answers to his questions and helped record them on Shawn's iPad.
What do you do on snow days?
I shovel snow.
What is your favorite winter sport?
Down hill skiing is my favorite.
Where did you grow up?
In Norwood, MA.
Where did you go to college?
I went to Holy Cross.
What would be your job if you weren't a teacher?
Doctor. I first went to school for pre-med.
How long have you been a teacher?
I have been a teacher for nine Years.
What is your favorite thing about teaching?
Definitely the students!
When did you learn sign language?
I learned a little when I was younger, but mostly I learned after college.
You got married after Christmas. What is your new last name?
My new last name is Bruhl.
January Edition
Ms. Hayes (Third Grade Teacher)
Interviewed by Sydni Dretler (3rd Grade) on January 17
What would you have been if you had not become a teacher?
An astronomer, because I love the stars.
Where were you born?
Ohio.
Do you have any siblings?
Yes, 2 older brothers.
Where did you go to college?
University of Hartford for my undergraduate degree; UMass Boston for my Master’s degree. Right now I am finishing up my CAGS in STEM Education online at the University of Cincinnati.
What is your favorite color?
Green.
What destination is your dream vacation?
Hawaii.
Do you have any children?
Yes, one daughter.
Do you have any pets?
Yes, a cat (also known as my “fur baby!”).
What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Ridden a camel.
What is your favorite holiday?
Easter, because it means spring is right around the corner.
Why did you choose to become a teacher?
Because I have always gotten along well with kids, and also I like seeing how kids think.
Ms. Krakauer (First Grade Teacher)
Interviewed by Ethan Duncan (1st Grade) on January 17
Click here to listen to Ethan's interview.
Ethan Duncan: What is your favorite book?
Kathy Krakauer: Charlotte's Web
ED: What is your favorite thing to teach?
KK: My favorite thing to teach is reading. However, I love teaching everything, but I came into teaching because I thought that reading was what I wanted to do.
ED: If you weren't a teacher, what would you want to be?
KK: That's easy. I would want to be a writer. I would want to write children's books. And I'd want to win the Newbury Medal.
ED: What is your favorite TV show.
KK: That's a hard one because I don't actually watch TV. Let's come back to that one. I don't really have a favorite TV show.
ED: How long have you been teaching at Ben Hem?
KK: I've been teaching for eight years.
ED: Is this your first school you've taught at?
KK: No, this is the second school I taught at. My first job was at Chelmsford, Massachusetts. It's north of here.
ED: What is your favorite color?
KK: It depends on the day but usually green. Some shade of green.
ED: What town do you live in?
KK: I live in Holliston.
ED: Where did you grow up?
KK: Well, until I was 10 years old, I lived in Washington DC so I pretty much feel I grew up in Washington, DC then I moved to Massachusetts. In Weston.
ED: What do you do on the weekends?
KK: I read. I run. I play with my puppy. And I work.
ED: Anything else you want to tell me before this is over?
KK: That's a very good question. Let me think. I suppose what I really want you to know is that the reason I came into teaching is that I want to help young children get the best education they can get. I think it is so important.
ED: I thought you might say that.
KK. But it's true. Every single day I wake up, and I'm excited to come to school and do my best. And at night, I tell (my class this) I lie in bed and think :what can I do tomorrow that would be better than what I did today?"
ED: You're probably really excited this day that you got to get interviewed!
KK: Oh, I was so excited when I saw that email. I said "this is going to be so much fun." And I figured you would come up with some really good questions.
December Edition
Mrs. Wraight (Second Grade Teacher)
Interviewed by Angelina Wing (2nd Grade) on October 29
Do you have a nickname?
Kate
What is your favorite color?
Green
What is your favorite hobby?
Cooking
What is your favorite food?
Chocolate chip cookies
How many years did you teach at Ben-Hem?
8 years
Is that your dream to become a teacher?
Yes
When is your birthday?
June 7th
What is your favorite music?
Americana
What is your favorite TV show?
Dancing with the Stars
Do you like any sport?
Tennis
Who is your favorite movie star?
Diane Keaton
What do you do to take care of your body and health?
Gym & long walks
Do you go to the salon to get your haircut?
Yes
What is your favorite dessert?
New York cakes
What is your favorite grocery store?
Stop and Shop
What are your thankful for this holiday season?
Being with her whole family
November Edition
What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?
Mrs. Dahlheimer (Third Grade Teacher)
Interviewed by Jessica Cohen (3rd Grade) on October 29
What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?
I am most thankful for my family. I love my family so much and am thankful they are healthy and happy.
What is your favorite subject to teach?
Math and History. Math was hard for me so I love helping kids find the strategies that help them learn the best.
Why did you want to be a teacher?
I want to help make kids successful, good citizens. And, I've always loved working with kids.
What is your favorite children's book?
A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements......well, really anything by Andrew Clements!
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love spending time with my kids. I also love skiing and making crazy cakes!
What got you interested in butterflies?
I love seeing the metamorphasis that caterpillars go through. Also, butterflies come in so many different, bright colors.
What music do you like to listen to?
Billy Joel and Elton John.....and songs I can sing along to.
What is your favorite holiday?
I'd have to say Christmas because I love watching everyone getting excited when they open the presents I've given them. I also love staying in pj's all morning. That's our tradition.
What is your favorite food?
Sushi! I love spicy tuna rolls. And, this time of year, I love anything pumpkin!
What is your favorite board game?
Well with my kids, my favorite game to play is Candyland. We are playing that game a lot at home these days. When I'm with adults, I love to play Pictionary!
What is your favorite math strategy?
Anything partial....partial sums, partial difference, or partial product.
What do you do with your kids for fun?
We love to explore in the woods and make fairy houses!
Do you have a favorite sport you like to watch?
I love watching my daughter, Amelia, play soccer. That's my favorite sport to watch right now.
Mrs. McShane (Second Grade Teacher)
Interviewed by Elora Barros (4th Grade) on November 1
What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?
I am most thankful for my family, friends, and students.
What do you think of being a teacher?
I love being a teacher. I am very excited to fulfill my lifelong dream.
If you were to pick one favorite subject, what would it be?
Math because it is a subject that you can figure out the answers to and there are lots of ways to solve a problem.
What is your favorite season and why?
Spring, because it is not too hot and not too cold and the flowers stat to bloom which makes it a pretty season.
How much do you watch baseball and what do you think of the Red Sox winning the World Series?
I only watch during the playoffs and the World Series. I think it’s awesome that they won and it was great to unite the city of Boston after a difficult year.
Who is your favorite Red Sox player?
Dustin Pedroia, because when I played softball, I played second base just like him.
How long have you been teaching at Ben Hem and why do you like Ben Hem?
9 years. I like Ben Hem because it’s a great community with fabulous students and wonderful parents.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to read, bake, play sports, and watch football.
Where do you like to go on vacation?
New Hampshire at my camper but if I had the money to go to another country, I would go to Ireland.
What is it like being a teacher?
I think it is challenging to be a teacher because teachers are responsible for making sure students grow academically, socially, and learn how to become responsible citizens.
Ms. O'Brien (Fourth Grade Teacher)
Interviewed by Cheryl Seiger (4th Grade) on October 28
What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?
I am most thankful for family, friends, and my dog, Murphy!
How long have you been teaching?
27 years. That includes two years I spent teaching overseas in England and Switzerland. When I was overseas, in addition to teaching I also coached basketball, swimming, and worked as a house mother.
What is your favorite subject to teach?
Math.
Have you ever taught any grade other than 4th grade?
Yes, I also taught third grade.
Did you always want to be a teacher?
Actually, no. I was a business major in college, but I decided that business was not right for me. I couldn’t see myself doing that for the rest of my life. So I went into education, and I haven’t regretted it one day.
Who was your favorite teacher from when you were little? Why?
At school, Ms. Mahoney was my favorite. She was my high school chemistry teacher. She was great because she took a subject matter that I was scared of, and she made it fun and interesting. She also took the time and energy to make sure we understood the material.
Outside of school, my mom was my favorite teacher.
What is your favorite book?
My favorite book when I was a student was Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger. My favorite children’s book is Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg.
What is your favorite sports team?
Red Sox.
What is your favorite season?
Fall.
What is your favorite movie?
Barefoot in the Park.
What is your favorite animal?
Dogs.
What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas.
What is your favorite dessert?
Ice cream.
What is your Zodiac sign?
Gemini (my birthday is June 17th)
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Anything outdoors! I love to bike ride, paddleboard, swim, kayak, and cross-country ski. I also love to walk my dog Murphy (he’s a 10-year-old mutt).
Ms. Curtis (Art Teacher)
Interviewed by Kate Tearle (2nd Grade) on October 29
What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?
Family
Pumpkin pie
Who is your favorite artist?
Georgia O'Keefe
How long have you been teaching art?
7 years
What is your favorite thing to draw with?
Water colors
Have you always wanted to teach art?
Yes
What if you weren't an art teacher, what would you want to be?
Chef
What is your favorite thing about art?
Everyone does something different
What grade were you in when you knew you wanted to be an art teacher?
18 years old, my first year in college
What is your favorite shape?
Organic shapes
What is your favorite color?
Blue. That's an easy one!
What is your favorite animal?
Horses
If you had one wish, what would it be?
Paint with Geogia O'Keefe
If you had 1 billion dollars, what would you do with it?
Buy all the art things in the world and have a party
October Edition
What do you remember about your favorite teacher growing up?
Ms. Craig (Second Grade Teacher)
Interviewed by James Balderson (2nd Grade) on October 9, 2013
What do you remember about your favorite teacher growing up?
Ms. Fisher was my 6th Grade teacher and she dressed up the classroom like the Coliseum in Rome. She put the desks in a circle and let the kids walk around on them.
Do you like to travel?
Yes, last year I went to Costa Rica and this year I'm going to Thailand. I've also been to Ghana.
Do you visit schools when you travel? What do you do there?
Yes we did visit schools in both Costa Rica and Ghana (and will in Thailand). We got to interview teachers and principals to find out more about the education system. In Ghana, we also got to teach lessons to private and public school students. My group taught the structure of morning meeting and showed videos of what our classrooms in America looked like. The kids thought it was really funny that we greet each other each morning and loved the spelling game we taught. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot!
What is your favorite TV show?
Downton Abbey
When is your birthday?
March 28th
Do you have a pet?
No.
Do you like animals?
Yes.
What is your favorite bug?
The Leaf Ant.
Do you like fish?
Yes. It's my favorite food.
Do you like jelly?
Yes, but only grape and apple (apple especially this time of year).
What is your favorite amusement park?
Universal Studios in Florida
Do you have any brothers and sisters?
I have one brother, one sister, and one sister-in-law. Both sisters will be having babies soon, which will both be boys. Then I will have one niece and two nephews.
Ms. Fair (Fourth Grade Teacher)
Interviewed by Emily Scharr (4th Grade) on October 23, 2013
What do you remember about your favorite teacher growing up?
Her name was Mrs. Boucher and she taught Kindergarten at Bugby School. She always had a smile on her face and she was really nice.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
There are so many things I love. I love getting to see how students grow from September to June.
How did you decide you wanted to be a teacher?
I've always wanted to be a teacher. I used to play school with my stuffed animals.
What is your favorite book?
Stuart Little. I just loved Stuart Little as a character.
What do you expect from a fourth grader?
I expect fourth graders to come to school prepared every day with a great attitude and ready to learn.
What are your favorite animals?
Dolphins and dogs. I think it would be really cool to go swimming with dolphins. Dogs are so cute and cuddly.
Do you have any pets?
I do. I have a yellow lab named Mackey.
What kind of genres do you read?
Realistic fiction and historical fiction.
Do you think libraries should have video games?
I can see how some people might want them, but I'm a traditionalist.
What are your favorite places to travel to?
I love going up to Vermont for quick trips and I've enjoyed traveling to Italy.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in West Hartford, CT with my older sister Meg and our bunny Coco Bun Bun. We tried to give Coco Bun Bun walks.
Did you play any sports growing up?
Yup! I played soccer, softball, and field hockey.
What were your likes and dislikes in fourth grade through middle school?
I've always loved reading and writing. Math was a bit hard at times, but I've grown to love it.
What do you like to teach the most?
I don't know if I could pick just one, but I love teacher animals at the end of the year.
Do you ever have parties in your classroom?
We have celebrations from time to time. We will do crafts and play games every now and then.
Mrs. Weaver (Music Teacher)
Interviewed by Sammy Scharr (4th Grade) on October 23, 2013
What do you remember about your favorite teacher growing up?
Ms. Dice was her High School music teacher. She was really nice and sang shows with her.
How long have you been teaching at Ben-Hem?
11 years.
What's your favorite music group?
Percussion.
When did you invent the stars chart?
When she first came. 5 years later Mr. Roper came.
What did you do this summer?
Music summer camp at Rivers Day Camp in Weston, MA.
What do you like to play regularly?
Piano, sing and write music.
Why did you become a music teacher?
Mrs. Weaver loves music and children.
How long have you been teaching music.
15 years.
Why do you like music so much?
It makes her feel good and it is interesting.
How did you learn loads of music?
Piano lessons at age 8 and further studies.
What is your favorite instrument?
Piano and singing.
What advice would you give about music?
Keep working at it. Don't give up.
What instrument would you recommend?
Piano.
Do you teach any instruments?
Used to teach singing.
Who is your role model?
Other music teachers. Jim McNeely is great!
If you weren't a music teacher, what would you be?
Book publisher.
Ms. Simmons (First Grade Teacher)
Interviewed by Macaela Guagenty (2nd Grade) on October 23, 2013
What do you remember about your favorite teacher growing up?
Mrs. Gibbons! She was very kind, never got upset, and gave us lots of hugs.
Is Ben-Hem the first school you have taught at?
Yes, my first grade class at Ben-Hem last year (that you were in Mac!) was my first teaching assignment.
What is your favorite part about being a teacher?
I love meeting lots of new friends and seeing them learn and grow.
Why did you want to become a teacher?
I wanted to become a teacher so I could help children learn and watch them grow up.
What are some things that you remember doing when you were in 1st grade?
In first grade I loved art and reading, and I somewhat liked math.
What was your favorite thing to do when you were little?
I loved to dance (ballet, tap and hip hop). I practiced four days a week.
Have you ever visited another country?
Yes! When I was in college I did a semester abroad in Rome for six months. While I was there, I visited 20 different countries and cities!
Do you speak any other languages?
I can speak a little Spanish, Italian and French. I can also say goodbye in lots of different languages, which I teach to my students.
What was it like to be a cheerleader at Boston College?
It was super fun! We got to travel a lot. Performing in front of all those people was nerve-wracking, but fun. I loved my team!
What do you like to do on the weekends?
I like to travel, watch football, and spend time with my sister. I even went canoeing on the Charles River!
What is your favorite food?
Homemade pizza.
Do you have any pets?
Not in Boston, but I have a dog back in Chicago.
September Edition
What is your favorite thing that you did this summer?
Mrs. LaPlante (Third Grade Teacher)
Interviewed by Anastasia Tolstaya (3rd Grade) on September 4, 2013
What is your favorite thing that you did this summer?
She rode in her jeep that had no roof on it!!!
How long have you been teaching?
She has been teaching since Ben-Hem first opened! (15 years ago)
What did you want to become when you were a girl?
She’s wanted to become a teacher since she was a little girl. You might be wondering why she’s wanted to become a teacher. Well, Mrs.LaPlante says that she always wanted to see how kids learn.
What is your favorite thing to teach in third grade?
History.
What do you like to do?
Mrs. LaPlante loves to read, watch movies, and travel.
What do you like about third grade?
Age of the children.
What are your goals this year?
Her goals this year are that all of her students have a good year. And have a love of learning.
How did you feel when you were first starting to teach third grade?
Mrs.LaPlante says that she knew a lot but had much more to learn.
What are your family members?
Mrs.LaPlante has a husband and 2 boys.
Are you trying any new things this year?
For writing she is going to use binders.
Mr. Silverberg (Third Grade Teacher)
Interviewed by Spencer Wick (3rd Grade) on September 17, 2013
What is your favorite thing that you did this summer?
He spent a lot of time with his daughters.
What is your greatest life experience?
Being a dad.
Have you always wanted to teach third grade?
No. Mr. Silverberg did two different things but his current job is his favorite.
Would you choose a different job than being a third grade teacher?
He taught fourth grade but third grade is his favorite.
What is your favorite word?
Think!
What is your favorite place?
Boston Children's Museum is his favorite place.
What is your favorite school subject?
Math is his favorite subject because when he was a kid it was his least favorite!
Have you ever met someone famous and if so, who?
Jake Berkowitz who finished 8th in the Iditarod.
What are your kids' names?
Shama who is 5 and Leela who is 3.
Where have you always wanted to go?
Japan.
What is your favorite/lucky number?
#9
What is your favorite food?
Mr. Silverberg's favorite food is sushi.
Do you have a middle name and if so what is it?
Yes, he does have a middle name but it is top secret!
What is your favorite color?
Mr. Silverberg's favorite color is cobalt blue.
Mr. Cappabianca (Gym Teacher)
Interviewed by Ryan Fernandes (2nd Grade) on September 18, 2013
What is your favorite thing that you did this summer?
Went to Newport, RI.
What is your favorite sport?
Baseball.
What is your favorite hobby?
Running.
What is your favorite food?
Pasta.
Where are you from?
Worcester, MA.
What school did you go to?
Atlantic Union College.
Do you have any kids?
Yes. A beautiful 3 year old daughter Victoria.
What do you like about teaching?
The students.
Do you have a pet?
Yes. A dog and a cat. They live across the street.
What is your favorite song?
Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord.
What is your favorite color?
Blue.
What is your favorite game?
UNO (a simple card game).
What is your favorite book?
The Bible.
What is your favorite holiday?
Easter.
Have you coached any sports?
Yes. Baseball, softball and field hockey.