From the moment you enter her classroom, you’re greeted by the scent of candles, energetic music, and the lively presence of Ms. Abbatemarco.
“She’s loud—in a good way,” Chemistry teacher Mr. Ahmed and junior Juliya Pashnina state verbatim.
Known for her love of chemistry and teaching, Ms. Abbatemarco has the remarkable ability to transform the otherwise seemingly intimidating chemistry curriculum into an enticing exploration of bonds, atomic structures, and reactions.
“Even though I hated chemistry, she helped a lot and made it surprisingly easy for me,” said Pashnina.
Chemistry requires extensive time and effort, and she devotes all her hours to her students.
“I love my kids. The only reason I’m here is for my kids. I don’t care about connecting with anybody else in the building except for my kids,” Ms. Abbatemarco proudly states, marking her eighth year of high school chemistry education.
Despite the passion she shows for her students now, Ms. Abbatemarco didn’t originally know teaching was her calling. “I never thought of being a teacher…I kind of fell into teaching,” Ms. Abbatemarco reveals.
Through her journey to finding what she wanted to do, she inspires students to find the strength inside them to ensure a bright future for themselves. “I try to approach my students in the way that I would have needed—kindness, understanding, empathy,” Ms. Abbatemarco confides.
As educators, attendance simply isn’t enough; the emotional impact made is greater than laying out material for high schoolers.
According to Memory and Learning: How the Brain Stores, Retrieves, and Forgets Information by Renz Soliman, “Consistent practice, focused attention, and emotional engagement all contribute to stronger memory networks.”
The very attributes listed are what Ms. Abbatemarco emphasizes every day, as she admits that, “she drives them crazy with all the practice and daily quizzes.”
Students who began the chemistry course with anxiety and fear concluded their journey with an unbreakable bond to Ms. Abbatemarco’s chemistry classroom.
“I was nervous at first, but as I got to know her, I found her a very entertaining and kind teacher,” senior Amber Li shares.
That connection is a goal she tries to uphold for herself in her teaching practice. “I call them my kids, and I love them like my kids. Their success is very, very important to me,” Ms. Abbatemarco says.
Though Chemistry can be a challenging subject for students, Ms. Abbatemarco’s positive attitude helps students in the classroom tremendously.
The attitude she displays in the classroom reaches farther than just her students.
“She treats them how they should be treated—as human beings. She doesn’t just see them as bodies in her classroom,” said Mr. Ahmed.
When asked to describe Ms. Abbatemarco, Emily Guo, a senior, had a response that perfectly encompassed what so many at John Dewey High School believe about her: “Loving, powerful, and honest.”
Guo recalls that, “I had chances outside of class to talk with her about it. If I needed help, I could email her or find time during the school day to ask questions”.
“Ms. Abbatemarco’s impact goes beyond the classroom. One thing I will always remember from Ms. A’s class is that at the end of every class, she would tell us, ‘Be safe, don’t get in trouble, or don’t get caught getting in trouble,'” senior Emilio Diaz shares.
Teaching the material is one accomplishment, but having your care and words of encouragement be remembered by hundreds as they move through their lives, even beyond John Dewey High School is something truly special that Ms. Abbatemarco has achieved.
“I would say one thing she said really altered my brain chemistry. I feel like when I first started teaching, in the earlier years of my teaching career, she said these two words—which are kind of her catchphrase—and it really changed my perspective on a lot of things. Those two words are: ‘Nothing matters.’ I think you can interpret something like that in a lot of different ways, but it also helps you reframe things. If you’re stressed or anxious about something, remembering that nothing really matters can make you feel more relieved. There’s so much going on in the world that it makes whatever we’re dealing with seem so small and not worth stressing over. [Her words] still stick with me, and I always think about it when I’m feeling distressed,” said Mr. Ahmed.