FACULTY INTERVIEW: MRS. ANGELA (WATSON) CAMERON ’03

FACULTY INTERVIEW

A Few Minutes with

MRS. ANGELA (WATSON) CAMERON ’03

When and how did you end up teaching at Kellenberg? I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. I’ve studied lots of languages and got my degree from Boston University in Ancient Greek and Latin. I’ve also studied Spanish and Italian, but Latin is the one I mastered the best. I loved languages and knew I wanted to teach at least one of them. Once I graduated and came back to Long Island, I was lucky enough to get a job teaching here.

What have you taught and moderated or coached during your time here? For the majority of my time here, I’ve taught both Latin and Spanish, and I am Chairperson of the Latin Department. I have been one of the assistant coaches for varsity girls basketball for the past 13 years, and I have also served as an assistant coach for varsity boys volleyball for eight years. I am also comoderator of The Renaissance, which is the literary arts publication. It’s really cool to be able to see that creative side of kids.

You were recently named Assistant Administrator for Curriculum Development, which is a newly created position. Can you tell us a bit about that? There have been many changes to the curriculum over the past few years and in this new position, I examine the overall academic program to make sure that we have a healthy amount of diversity and that all of our students can see themselves in their studies. A conversation I had with Mrs. Cathy von Schoenermarck over the summer really sums up the goal of refreshing our curriculum. She shared an idea put forth by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, who is Professor Emerita of Education at The Ohio State University. Dr. Sims Bishop authored the essay, “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors,” which suggests that a well-developed curriculum should be a mirror that allows students to see themselves, an open window for students to be able to look through, and a sliding door to give students the opportunity to step into somebody else’s shoes. In some instances, we seemed to be missing the mirror part of the equation. Another goal going forward is to make sure that all of our students feel comfortable communicating with one another regarding difficult topics. So we are trying to introduce norms to our students regarding how to best communicate and deal with tough situations through the curriculum.

My colleagues and I had the privilege of working with Claudy Damus-Makelele ’93 over the summer. Currently, Claudy serves as Associate Superintendent of Educational Services for Eastern Suffolk BOCES and has a lot of experience dealing with issues surrounding equity in education. Claudy worked with us to help us learn how to get the kids to communicate in a productive and understanding way by introducing to us the following norms: ‘assume positive intentions’; ‘challenge ideas and not individuals’; ‘intentions don’t always equal impact’; and ‘expect and accept non-closure.’

What is your favorite thing about teaching at Kellenberg? There are so many different things. I think the biggest thing is that the students are so excited to come to school here. To go to a teaching job where you don’t have to convince kids to want to learn is so impressive. The kids here are really inquisitive and want to do well. It’s just a good feeling teaching kids that want to be here and learn.

What is it like teaching at your alma mater? Kellenberg has definitely evolved over the years. Being an alum is definitely super helpful in trying to guide students as they navigate time management issues along with heavy workloads. I played sports and was very involved when I was a student here and know what they are going through.

What is so unique about an education that impacts both the heart and the mind? The academic side of things is always important, but there are so many other aspects to developing the whole student. I’m so appreciative of the work that the ARK does to make sure that our students always have God pouring into them.

What do you hope to instill in your students? I hope that they know they can do anything they want. If they want to be a doctor, they can. If they want to be an artist, they can. High school might be highly focused on academics, but when you leave here having ‘learned how to learn,’ as well as having a strong understanding of yourself, you will be able to apply those lessons to whatever area truly makes you happy and feeds your soul.

What does the phrase, “Kellenberg family,” mean to you? This has been a year of learning in so many ways. What comes to the forefront is that we have learned some very tough lessons surrounding the deep societal sin of systemic racism. We have definitely received feedback from students and alumni that we have missed the mark and failed in some important areas. Now we are focused on putting in the work needed to improve things so that every member of the Kellenberg Family feels seen, respected, and loved going forward. THAT’S what a good family does. It recognizes its mistakes and works to become better and stronger.