When asked questions about what teachers have been doing to keep busy during quarantine as well as a few questions about themselves there was a wide variety of interesting answers.
Christopher Koestner-Sophomore English
How have you been keeping calm and collected during this quarantine?
“I’m an introvert by nature, so I know how to spend time alone. I love people, but I have music, books, cooking, and cats to keep me entertained. I’m watching Ken Burns’ Baseball, rewatching The Wire for the fifth time, and just finished the Madam CJ Walker story. Also, I’m communicating with students, which helps as well, because it keeps me feeling gratified and
connected.”
Have you taken up any hobbies? If so, what?
“I’ve been working on my keyboard skills. So far, I’ve learned Happy Birthday, which, in part, I learned to play for my girlfriend, Sarah, on her birthday, and also Take Me out to the Ballgame because I miss baseball.”
How have you been keeping yourself healthy? Physically, Mentally, Emotionally.
“I bike in the early mornings. I wake up at 4:30 each day, have my coffee, read, check in on my classes, and then go biking. I’m trying to stay as disciplined as possible, and as someone who lives alone, I have it easier doing that than many. I engage my mind with books and music and conversations with Sarah. Keeping a routine is important, so I try to do that, and it has been keeping me balanced.”
How are you interacting with your students or keeping them engaged beyond Zoom?
“It’s been very encouraging that my students have come to classes, do solid work, and stay checked in with me when I contact them. Some kids do well with Vocabulary.com while others thrive on the short responses. I’m lucky because I have had Shakespeare, and now Orwell, to lean on. Also, thanks to Ms. Terraferma, I’m able to work with kids in analyzing their PSAT scores and helping them formulate a plan beyond our immediate scenarios. It’s fun working with students, and I hope the students get that we’re here to support and not make their lives miserable.”
In what ways can you help students be creative during this time?
“Ha. Do something wonderful with yourself, but discipline is difficult, especially during adolescence. Try to engage your mind in a really direct way. You don’t need hobbies, you need a passion. Even if it’s just watching tv or playing video games. Try to watch and play with some serious focus. Check out nuances and layers to stories in these media. You may find out that a lot of what you watch isn’t much different than Shakespeare. Then write stories. All people have stories to tell, and many of my students get good stuff out verbally. Maybe now is a good time to write these things down. Otherwise, cook, read, create, and support yourself and your families
as much as possible. Hugs work well.”
If you could describe yourself in one word what would it be?
“Processing because I’m in a perpetual state of wonderment.”
What’s your cultural background?
My paternal grandparents were from Austria and my maternal grandmother was from Irish stock and my maternal grandfather was Lithuanian.
Alain Codio-Senior Architecture
How have you been keeping calm and collected during this quarantine? Physically, Mentally, Emotionally.
“I have been taking walks and spending time with my family. I’m still staying fit. Mentally I have kept myself busy with building projects such as designing a treehouse for my kids in the backyard.”
Have you taken up any hobbies?
“I am building various garden boxes to grow vegetables. Let’s see how that goes. I can say I have become a small time farmer.”
In what ways can you help students be creative during this time?
“Because of the lack of computer technology that my students are limited to, I have told the students to create their building designs in Minecraft, Sims, floor planner and other online game platforms that have the ability to do architectural designs.”
If you could describe yourself in one word what would it be? Why?
“Mr. Codio describes himself as thoughtful. I am always pondering about how others are doing and I try my best to sympathize with them.”
He works in consideration of the best interest of others and likes to find ways to help those in need especially his students.
What’s your cultural background?
Mr. Codio comes from a Haitian background.
What were you like in high school?
“I was everything, I was a people person, a joker at times, I had a sense of humor. I was athletic. Thoughtful. I was Codio. The same way I am now is the same way I was back then. Can’t change me “float like a butterfly sting like a bee.” This quote comes from Mohammad Ali, champion boxer. This refers to the ability to move quickly but at the same time attack without your opponent knowing.
Abraham Rodriguez-Freshman Architecture
How have you been keeping calm, collected, and healthy during this quarantine? Have you taken up any hobbies?
“There is no doubt that these trying times have been a challenge for all of us. I hope that as we adapt to this new reality, we can learn day by day how to maintain physical and emotional strength. All of the uncertainties at the beginning of the quarantine gave me high levels of anxiety, along with having to teach and take graduate classes online. But as I spent more time at home practicing mindfulness, I began to feel more grateful and fortunate to know that it could be a lot worse. Still, I’ve been lucky enough to use this time at home to explore a variety of activities ranging from a consistent work-out routine to spending time reading, learning how to play piano chords, and organizing some of my music record collection. I do miss playing chess with my students.”
In what way can you help students be creative at home?
“Lately, I have been sharing with my students online learning resources relating to design and architecture. One of my favorite video tutorial websites to improve creativity is www.skillshare.com. This website allows people to explore new skill sets in animation, graphic design, illustration, photography, web development, and many more. I also encourage students to watch mini-documentaries of the artist and designers they find interesting to know more about where their sources of creativity originate.”
If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be?
“Random.” Mr. Rodriguez considers himself as random. He could be surprising and unexpected.
What were you like in high school?
“When I was about ten years old, my family moved to the Dominican Republic, where I spent the rest of my teenage years. In high school, it was easy for me to make friends for the simple fact that I was from New York, so I ended up having quite a social life despite how timid I was back then. My idol during that time was NBA player Allen Iverson, whose jerseys I would wear all the time.”
What was your favorite 90s jam?
“Growing up as a teenager and being open to all types of music genres, I was really into Jamiroquai, whose music seeks to fuse disco with electronic funk and jazz.”
Pia Moos-Junior Architecture
How have you been keeping calm, collected as well as healthy during this quarantine?
“Actually teaching keeps me calm. It helps me focus – there is always some problem to be solved or improvements to be made. I love exercising simply because of how it makes me feel when I am done with it. Normally I run but because of social distancing I am doing less of it. I run really really early in the morning when no one is out. Otherwise I do lots of yoga. I try to eat well – sometimes I feel I could turn into a vegetable, just because I am eating so many.”
Have you taken up any hobbies?
“I am working on my photoshop skills. I downloaded several drawing and painting apps which I am exploring. Maybe I will get around to learning Spanish. I just saw that Babble has a free membership I believe till September!”
If you could describe yourself in one word what would it be?
“Curious.”
What’s your cultural background?
“German/Swiss.”
What were you like in high school?
“Not social at all. I was really lost in school for some years. First, I was tuned out and then I really really tried – I made it!”
What’s your favorite 90s jam?
“A Tribe called Quest, Massive Attack, Wayne Shorter definitely a variety of styles never one thing.”
