Klarman, Valerie

Teacher's Name: Valerie Klarman
Education: Catholic University (BS in Math)
Cherry Hill High School West (Cherry Hill, NJ)
Previous Jobs: College Student
Came to Blair in: 2002-2003 (2001-2002, student teacher)
Hobbies: Traveling, cooking

Valerie Klarman is one of the many math teachers at Montgomery Blair High School. This is her first year teaching at Blair however she was a student teacher in the math department last year.

Klarman attended Cherry Hill High School West in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Klarman remembers herself to be an excellent student throughout her four years at Cherry Hill. "I was a good kid," says Klarman. "I did what I was supposed to do. I was also very involved." Klarman regularly participated in volleyball, volunteering, and SGA. She was also the vice president of her class.

After completing high school, Klarman did not plan on studying to become a teacher. "I thought I would be in politics, making policies about education," recalls Klarman. "But then I realized that to really make a difference, you have to be in the classroom."

Education remained important to Klarman in her college years as well. Nevertheless, while at Catholic University, Klarman got in touch with her wild side. She admits that she and her friends made many spontaneous decisions. "My friends and I would decide to take a road trip for the weekend and it wouldn't be planned," says Klarman. "We would just take off."

Klarman believes that her role model and most influential person is her life is her mother. She says her mother possesses traits that she would like to have someday. "She's really devoted to her kids and that's how I want to be." Klarman and her mother chose to pursue the same career. "She is also a teacher and she is very passionate about that."

In her spare time, Klarman enjoys traveling. She has been to France, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Cancun. "Bahamas was my favorite because I went with my sister," says Klarman.

Although Klarman has not been teaching for a long time, she still has many memorable students. "In my algebra class last year, the kids were really good," says Klarman. "They made my student teaching enjoyable." Now that she is a full time teacher, Klarman enjoys working more closely with her students. "Since it is my first year teaching, all of the kids are good. I love them all," states Klarman with a smile.