As students flood into the library, they drop their backpacks and take their seats. Students across all levels from—geometry—algebra—and trigonometry take up not just one, but two tables, all surrounding one teacher: Mrs. Macalalad.
Mrs. Ina Vanessa Macalalad, or, as she is more commonly known by her students, Mrs. M, is a math teacher at Somerville High School. She currently teaches geometry and precalculus but has also taught calculus at a college level at Kean University in the past.
“My whole day revolves around math,” she told me, when asked about her typical day. Ever dedicated, her work begins not when she arrives at school, but on her short commute from Piscataway. She says the drive gives her quiet time to think about what she will teach that day.
She then teaches her classes, and grades whenever she gets a moment. According to Mrs. M., she gives a lot of work, but a lot of extra credit work as well She adds,“extra credit work really helps boost the grades.” Although math may be a tough subject for many students, she always tries her best to help her students succeed.
The work doesn’t stop, even on her lunch ‘break’. She multitasks, diligently grading quizzes and tests, while administering make up assignments, and giving extra help to any student that asks for it in the media center. “I’ve always been a hard worker,” she says.
And for this trait, many students admire her, including one of her former precalculus students, Raymond Trombadore. “She’s very understanding and dedicated and always makes herself available to help students who need it.”
After school, she stays in her classroom, again, grading and letting students make up assignments for another hour or so. Mrs. M. noted that during her first years of teaching, before she was married and had kids, she would stay at the school until either 4:00 or even 6:00.
When asked about how she balances all this work with her home life, she replied that she is a teacher at school, and “a mom at home,” and avoids taking her work home so that she can spend more time with her kids.
Even though Mrs. M. is passionate about her career now, teaching was never initially on the forefront of her mind. She had intended on going into “something corporate.” Her interest in math first sparked in her school days while learning proofs (a topic that most students typically dread). In that moment, she learned that she not only excelled, but actually enjoyed math.
For Mrs. M, a career in teaching had only been “a big maybe,” until she took a position as a long term substitute in Hoboken. This experience convinced her to pursue teaching long term, promptly getting her master’s in education.
When asked if she could go back to her first year of teaching, she told me, “I wouldn’t change anything.” During these first years of teaching, she created most of the materials and lesson plans that she still uses to this day, tweaking them year by year.
According to her, she has never been a strict teacher. “It’s not me,” she remarked, “Math is intimidating enough.” She feels that when teachers are less strict, it creates an atmosphere in which students feel more comfortable participating and asking questions. This is the exact environment present in her classroom.
Now after teaching for multiple years, she reflects on the most fulfilling part of her job. She finds that the most rewarding thing has been to see her students grow. Not only just to see students excel, but especially to see kids who used to hate math, grow to hate it a little less.
For her effort, drive, compassion, and enthusiasm, Mrs. Macalalad won staff member of the month in February. Humbly, she commented, “I never thought I would get it. I didn’t know how excited I would be to win.”
Ultimately, Mrs. Macalalad is a motivated, generous, and kind-hearted person beyond her academic profession. Her diligence and compassion inspire admiration from her students that cements her as a well-liked and respected teacher at Somerville High School.
