Amanda Arman

Wow, of course I didn’t commit to my goal of posting once a week! In the chaos that has been educating during a pandemic, I haven’t been good about making the time to recognize and honor my fellow educators but I am doing it when I can.

My next feature, Amanda Arman, came into my life in the most serendipitous of ways. My first year in the classroom, I received an e-mail from one of Falls Church High School’s feeder elementary schools, Fairhill, with a once-in-a-lifetime request. Amanda had a student, Calvin, whose abilities in math were not being served by the advanced academics curriculum and she was looking for someone who could meet him to better understand his needs. I jumped at the offer out of curiosity and out of a desire to better know my community but didn’t know what to expect! Well, within five minutes, 10 year old Calvin was leafing through my abstract algebra textbook from college and discussing incorrect assumptions for a proof of abelian groups and I knew that Calvin and I were going to have a great relationship.

This is Amanda! She sees every student and works to find every resource to give them an experience that meets their needs! She loves her school and every time she has left the country, she always makes her way back to Fairhill because she knows that investing time in a community is what allows students to succeed. She knows that education is a labor of love and that with enough time in the profession, you witness miracles. And don’t get me started on how much her community loves her. My colleague Nick Hartman described her as the “person who always want to give a hug to.” I think that compliment sums up exactly what I want to be in life.

 

1.         WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BECOME AN EDUCATOR?

 

I am the oldest of four girls in my family.  My favorite activity growing up was to be the teacher of my four younger sisters.  In high school I had a creative writing teacher who changed my perception of myself as a writer.  I remember the belief and confidence she gave me as a student. After that experience, I wanted to change lives just as that teacher did for me.

 

2.         DO YOU HAVE A MEMORY FROM YOUR CAREER THAT STANDS OUT? 

 

Teaching overseas has definitely been the most amazing opportunity in my career.  I have had the true privilege to work in four different countries: Fairfax County, Virginia; the American School of Managua, Nicaragua; Warsaw, Poland; and Athens, Greece.  It has been incredible getting to know the students, educators,  and cultures of the world through the school environment.

 

3.         WHAT BIG IDEAS FOR CHANGES DO YOU ENVISION IN EDUCATION? 

I  believe that COVID has and will continue to change the future of education in countless ways.   Choice and voice are two important characteristics that bring ownership to a successful education.  Education is a partnership between home and school.  Meaningful relationships between students and educators are how we can change the world.  I believe that stimulating education for students in the future will include solving authentic, real world problems in partnership with organizations bringing change to the world. Students have incredible ideas; we must listen, embrace, and encourage creative and critical thinking.

 

4.         WHAT DOES YOUR SELF-CARE LOOK LIKE?

My family and I love to travel.  We enjoy experiencing new states, countries, and cultures through the use of all of our senses.  In addition, I try to make time to walk, bike, and practice yoga.  Reading novels for fun is a treat that I generally enjoy in the summer when I do not have as much professional reading.