A FEW MINUTES WITH MRS. LIDIA (ARIAS) MARTEN

When and how did you end up teaching at Kellenberg Memorial?

I graduated from Molloy College in May 1996 and I sent my application to all the private, Catholic schools. I knew I definitely wanted to teach in a Catholic school to be part of a faith-based environment. Kellenberg was the first to call me for an interview and I got the job. So I’ve been here for 26 years now, and I love it here just as much as the day I started. I truly feel that I was meant to be here.

What have you taught and/or moderated/coached during your time here so far?

I have served as an assistant moderator for the Junior Art Guild, and led Sodality for many years. I was a guidance counselor at one point and I also do computer lab supervision once a week. I was the assistant moderator of the Spanish Club and then after Mrs. Albano retired I became the moderator. I do SMART, the after-school program at St. Martin’s. I am one of the moderators for the Culinary Club and chairperson of the Spanish section of World Languages. As far as teaching, I have taught every level of Spanish at some point during my time here. Wherever they need me, I go. I love getting to know a different side of the students in after-school activities. Sometimes I will have a student who is so quiet in class and then they really open up at the Culinary Club and I just love that.

What is your favorite thing about teaching at Kellenberg Memorial?

One thing I love is the structure. Everything here - in the classroom and out - is so well organized. I think that makes my job easier, and I also see how well the kids respond to the routine here. I also love being able to incorporate prayer into the school day. It allows me to relate to the kids on a different level. For example, I teach Spanish 4 and 5 and it’s advanced literature and reading. We always find a way to connect what we are reading with our faith. Recently, we were reading a classic piece of literature criticizing Spanish society in the Middle Ages. One of the characters was questioning how to go on living and I asked my students, “What would you tell her?” The kids come up with beautiful religious answers saying, “God will open doors for you,” and “God will watch over you.” Especially during their senior year, you can tell how much they have grown in their faith lives during their time here.

What is so unique about an education that impacts both the heart and mind?

I asked my students to write a paragraph about what they want to do with their futures and one of my students said she wanted to be a Spanish teacher like me. She is now a wonderful ESL teacher who is making a big difference in people’s lives. She came back and showed me that paragraph that she had saved, and I cried because it was so special. To me, that is what makes an education of the heart and mind special. Also, I find that teaching a second language to students is very rewarding. When I came to the United States from Paraguay over 30 years ago, I didn’t speak any English. So I went to Molloy for an ESL program and I had an opportunity to enroll as an undergraduate student. I used to record the classes because I didn’t understand what was going on. By my second year, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. So I was learning English at the same time that I was earning my teaching degree. It was very difficult, but it was so worth it. On the first day of classes I always tell my students that I want them to know that I truly have empathy for them as they learn a second language. I also want them to see that speaking more than one language is so rewarding.

What do you hope to instill in your students?

I want them to learn Spanish, but first I want them to know how important holding onto their faith is. I hope my students leave my classroom and know that if they see things in this world that they do not agree with or think are wrong, they have the power to work to change those things. I remind them to be wise and make their own judgments and to always listen to both sides of an issue. I hope that when they leave here, they always think of others first and treat people the way they want to be treated. I encourage them to hold on hard to their faith, because they will be challenged in college and throughout their lives.

What does the phrase “Firebird Family” mean to you?

When I was brand new here, people went out of their way to welcome me, learn my name, and make me comfortable. My first year, I was Jim Krug’s assistant for Triple A and he was so incredibly nice to me and taught me so much. Mrs. Rosemarie Albano was my mentor, and I owe it to her that I have become the teacher that I am today. It is unique to find a work environment as nurturing as it is here. I also find that wherever I go, I find someone who has a connection to Kellenberg. The community and family feeling here is so strong and extends well past the campus boundaries.