Gilles Ndagha also contributed to this article.
Some people view ELA as a subject of fixing grammar to help us communicate better, but others view it as a way of increasing knowledge and understanding. Malden High’s new ELA and theater teacher, Ariana Messana, gives a lot of hope about future theater productions and this year’s ELA curriculum.
Messana and her room are “peaceful, and rarely have distractions that ruins student focus,” says Jaslyn Orphe, a student of Messanna’s. Messana has been teaching theater for 7 years, but this would be her first time teaching ELA in high school,
According to Messana “the hardest part about teaching high school is the time commitment.” But despite this pressure, she still describes her students as “very energetic and like a big family.”
Messana found her inspiration to teach theater through high school and college. She believes that every presence matters in her class. Messana hopes to bring newness to Malden High School, but also keep traditional values. Messana states that her transition into the high school has been good. “Everyone is very supportive and Malden High is very different compared to other schools.”
Teaching is a profession that plays a crucial role in shaping the minds and futures of this young generation. This is exactly what Messana brings to the table, by showing a great connection with her staff and her students.
According to Mastrangelo, Messana demonstrates passion for her work. “Being both a drama and an ELA teacher takes a lot of commitment… Messana has shown to be a hard worker. Even though she started a little late [in the year] with the onboarding,” in the words of Mr. Mastrangelo, she “ can definitely handle this.”
Apart from her encouraging personality and passion, Messana has many other attributes. In her room, there is a special area where students can come and share their thoughts. This area is known as the fridge. It is a safe space environment for students to share their ideas and artwork with one another. Because of this creativity, students who would have never connected have built a bond with one another.
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