By Jannatul Ferdous ‘23
Ms. Ball, the Regents and AP Chemistry teacher at NEST+m, who also teaches electives such as Experimental Chemistry, did not take the traditional path to becoming a teacher. Many of her family members, such as her uncles, were teachers, which encouraged her to become a teacher as well. Ms. Ball formerly worked in the environmental research field, collecting data. While she did find contentment within her work, through obtaining teaching assistant positions for topics such as Organic Chemistry, Ms. Ball settled on teaching at NEST+m.
Many teachers at NEST+m are buried in grading, creating lessons, and offering time to assist students, so they enjoy relaxation when given the chance. Ms. Ball noted that one of the most memorable moments in her life was ten years ago when she traveled to Europe. Visiting Paris, Prague, and Vienna and spending two weeks in Poland allowed her to experience bits of bliss and become familiar with different cultures. Traveling to foreign countries might be intimidating to some individuals, but if people allow themselves to take advantage of new opportunities in different places, they might find comfort associated with food. While trying a variety of cuisines from many places around the world can cause people to be content, Ms. Ball revealed that South Asian cuisine has been a taste to remember. Ms. Ball was ecstatic at the fact that the savory food was not only delicious, but also very affordable.
Oftentimes, people find it difficult to adjust to a New York daily routine. Ms. Ball mentioned that the transition of moving from Long Island was a substantial moment in her life because she came from boarding schools and had to adapt to the public school schedule. The routines of NEST+m teachers are much different from those in her old teaching position in Long Island. For example at the boarding school she had regulated meal times. Once, Ms. Ball recalled having to take a student to the hospital at 5 A.M.
Ms. Ball revealed that even though she would happily go back to work in environmental research or become a librarian, the moment of witnessing a student understanding content completely brings her joy. For students who want to become a teacher in the future, Ms. Ball adds that practicing teaching, such as becoming a tutor or doing volunteer work, can be very beneficial in gaining a sense of how to approach the obstacles that appear while teaching students.
Further Fun Questions With Ms. Ball:
Q: What are your other interests/hobbies outside of the work you do for your teaching profession?
A: Reading, going to museums, and exploring.
Q: Do you think aliens exist?
A: No.
Q: If you could travel to the past or the future, which would you choose and why?
A: The future to see how things will turn out, to see what countries are remaining, what languages have become dominant, and how much technology has advanced (because Ms. Ball was bewildered when she witnessed texting to become a form of social contact with people).
Q: If you had to choose between being a robot or an alien, which would you choose and why?
A: A robot to be helpful, and because they are smart.
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