Mr. Moramarco has been teaching at Freehold Boro for over twenty years, and in that time, he’s become known not only for his dedication to his students but also for his great sense of humor and friendly personality. Whether he is picking on kids in class or sharing life advice, Mr. Moramarco always manages to make learning a little more enjoyable. Today, we got the chance to talk to him about his teaching journey, his favorite memories, and what keeps him motivated after teaching all these years.
Emely: Okay, first question: how long have you been teaching? What subject do you currently teach, and what have you taught in the past?
Mr. Moramarco: This is my 22nd year teaching, 21 at Boro, my first year was at Freehold Township. I’ve taught biology, environmental science, physiology, and anatomy.
Vania: What inspired you to become a teacher?
Mr. Moramarco: I graduated from college with a degree in environmental science, hoping to do fieldwork, but all the jobs I got were stuck in labs. So I had 3 jobs after college, and I was stuck in labs, so I got bored. My dad was a teacher, so I just talked to him and asked what he liked about it. It seemed like something to do. I went back to get my master’s in education. Then here I am. I like it because every day’s different, every year’s different, new kids, so it just keeps it fresh.
Emely: What’s the most rewarding part of teaching?
Mr. Moramarco: I don’t know. Well.. I think the relationships you get to form with every student. You know, you get kids coming back every day drawing Quokkas on your whiteboard, and you know, when a student does well and they get happy and excited, I get happy and excited for them too.
Vania: Do you have a favorite classroom memory?
Mr. Moramarco: It’s not really a favorite… but it was memorable. There was a time a girl passed out during a lab because she put her hands in the ice water.
Emely: What are your goals as a teacher for this school year?
Mr. Moramarco: To have every kid do well, succeed, and enjoy class.
Vania: Do you have any personal goals?
Mr. Moramarco: Surf a pipeline one day, it’s one of the most dangerous waves in the world, in Hawaii.
Emely: That’s cool. How do you hope your students will remember you?
Mr. Moramarco: I hope I had a positive impact on their brief time here. I hope they look back fondly on my class, and don’t say “I hate biology!!”
Vania: If you weren’t a teacher, what career would you have chosen?
Mr. Moramarco: Like a dream job? I wanted to be an astronaut when I was growing up.
Vania: Or like, if you went back in the past, would you have chosen something else?
Mr. Moramarco: I can’t really think of anything else. We have freedom as teachers; there’s no boss constantly staring down here, looking over our shoulders. There are nice breaks to recharge. Like I said, every day’s different, every year’s different. It keeps it fresh.
Emely: What do you like to do when you’re not teaching?
Mr. Moramarco: Surfing, watching my kids play soccer, playing soccer myself, and going to the beach.
Vania: Do you have a favorite book, movie, or quote that motivates you?
Mr. Moramarco: Quotes? I can’t think of anything off the top of my head.
Vania: You don’t have a favorite scientist to pick a quote or book from?
Mr. Moramarco: I mean, the most famous quote is from Wayne Gretzky, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Emely: Alright, that’s all. thank you for speaking with us today.
Mr. Moramarco: Thank you for choosing me. You should’ve asked me these questions beforehand.
Vania: If we asked the questions before, the answers would lack authenticity.
Mr. Moramarco: Yeah I guess that’s true.
Mr. Morameco: Oh and my favorite book, The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King.
