Though a veteran in the profession, Mount Carmel’s new math teacher, Ms. Samantha Lazzaro, has never taught at an all-boys school. Still, she is ready to inspire men at Mount Carmel to learn.
Ms. Lazzaro was raised in Bridgeport. She has multiple degrees and has been a teacher for nine years .
Currently at MC, she teaches Algebra 2, Algebra 3/Trig, Geometry, and Physics, and is already finding ways to make math more approachable. She prefers a conversation-based style of teaching that encourages students to speak their minds and stay engaged.
“If I am doing a problem on the board, I would rather the boys talk to me through it, like, no, Ms. Lazzaro, ‘that’ equals ‘this,’” she says.
By breaking down difficult concepts, she hopes to make math less intimidating and more interactive.
Ms. Lazzaro has multiple degrees, starting with general education. She initially wanted to study the minds of criminals, and one of her first assignments in college was to communicate with a serial killer. She and her classmates would send a DSM-5, a survey from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, to a convicted murderer for their thought process, and some of her works have been published. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in forensic psychology, she wanted to go back into the math sector because of her love for numbers in general, so she got a crime analyst degree.
Ms. Lazzaro first started teaching at Warren Park Elementary for one year. She then spent two years at St. Jane de Chantal School, a elementary school in Chicago, until its closure. Afterward, she taught for three years at St. Daniel the Prophet School, a grade school in Chicago. She then went to work at an all-girls Catholic high school, Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart in Chicago, for a two years, where she taught math, AP computer science, and was also the athletic director. Her role at Josephinum was a big one. Ms. Lazzaro did things like bring back the sports program because there were not many sports. Introduced homecoming, which had 200 people. She designed all of the school uniforms, helped clubs make flyers, and more.
Clearly, she loves helping out whenever she can. She says that the transition to an all-boys school has not been much of a challenge.
“I wanted to go somewhere that had a Catholic background that is prominent in what they stand for,” she says. “Their values at Mount Carmel were the reason that I chose it because they stood out over the other schools.”
Coming from Bridgeport and a family background in Catholic schooling, her move to MC feels like a natural fit. Outside of teaching, Ms. Lazzaro has many interests that show her fun and creative side.
“I love Pokémon,” she says while laughing. “I’m a huge nerd.”
One of her favorite memories was when she was playing softball and seeing what she thought was her family being ecstatic over her success on the field.
“I hit an out-of-the-park home run, but I am thinking my mom’s cheering for me,” she says. “No, a bee is chasing her, and my aunt is screaming on the other side because a bee’s chasing her.”
Thankfully, her father was paying attention, and he ran to get the ball from a little kid.
Ms. Lazzaro also loves to travel, and some of her favorite destinations are Hawaii and Florida. These hobbies and stories show students she is not just a teacher but also someone who knows how to balance hard work with fun.
Every new teacher brings something unique to MC. Ms. Lazzaro’s blend of experience, passion, and personality is already leaving its mark here at school. As more students get to know her, they will see more than a math teacher. They will see someone who is dedicated to helping them succeed while also reminding them that learning can be fun.
“I think it’s stressful at times, but teenage boys, very stressful,” she says. “But it balances out with seeing how great the kids are.”
