About Ms. Zimbardo

It was while she was at college that Marianna Zimbardo decided that when it came to kids, a microscope would be more enjoyable than a stethoscope.

“I was originally studying to be a pediatrician while at Villanova University,” Ms. Zimbardo says. “But after working at an after-school mentorship program in Philadelphia, I realized that I wanted to become a science teacher.”

So after earning her biology degree from Villanova, the Wallingford, Connecticut native completed her studies with a master’s degree in secondary science education from Tufts University.

“I love teaching because of the energy in the classroom,” she says. “I really enjoy listening to different student ideas and engaging in conversations where I know they are forcing themselves to think outside of the box and to form their own opinions.”

Ms. Zimbardo, who is now in her fourth year of teaching, loves teaching high school students because she can go into more depth with the subject matter and really engage students in thought-provoking conversations.”

 “On the other hand, I love teaching middle school students because they are often more open-minded and energetic in class,” she says.

One of the difficult parts of teaching is trying not to go off topic when the students ask great questions, but she says she always wants to answer the questions because it keeps the students interested.

“I believe that it is crucial for teachers to make their content relevant to their students,” she says. “I make a concerted effort to bring in current events to my classroom discussions, because I want to help prepare students to be well-informed members of society.”