Interview with Ms. Montanari

Camira interviews Franklin High School English Teacher, Ms. Montanari, teaches mostly freshman classes. She is also the advisor to the Anime Club, Animal Lover, and FHS Alum. We asked her a few questions about her experiences at FHS, and dealing with the changes this year due to COVID-19.

What’s your favorite part about your job?

My favorite part of my job is hearing from my students. You are all creative and passionate and bring your own unique take on how you see the world and the texts that we read in class. I always learn a lot from my students each year.

What has been your favorite topic to teach?

I am actually starting my favorite topic right now in my English 9 classes right now. It is reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie in the Multiculturalism and Identity unit. It’s my favorite because it has an indigenous narrator, which is not a perspective we often read, and because it creates a lot of good discussion about the different cultures that we all bring to FHS.

What are some challenges you face with teaching?

One challenge I am especially facing this year is balance, especially since we all came into this year in a different mental health space than we usually do at the start of a school year. I think it has been hard at times to find the right balance for myself and to create balance for my students throughout the year to get through the class material and avoid feeling too overwhelmed.

What are your hobbies in/outside of school?

Outside of school, I like to read a lot of poetry, cook and bake, garden, spend time with my dog and family, and hike.