Teacher Spotlight: Mrs. Filloramo

Today, our interview with Mrs. Filloramo spanned the fluidity of knowledge, Will Ferrell movies, and me and Emma’s greatest fears. There are few things more fun than putting on a cape, a crown and a dollar sign necklace to read Shakespeare in room 214, but reading this interview is one of them. If you’re wondering what a coffee-enthusiast picks up from Starbucks every morning, or what it means to get your drink “upside down”, or if you look forward to your English class for its Fill-y antics, keep reading!

Emma: So first question: how did you become a teacher at LBHS?

Mrs. Filloramo: Well, Mrs. O’Shea-Saroka and I went to college together, and she, after student teaching, applied for a substitute position at the middle school. She got in, and then she interviewed for the fall. Mrs. Saroka and I worked really well together in college, and when I heard she got into Long Beach, I tried to apply as well. There was an opening, and I got it in August. So it was great for us as new teachers, because we worked together in college and then continued that friendship as a first year teacher.

Gabby: What do you teach, and do you like it?

Mrs. Filloramo: I love it! I teach English, the best subject! It's humanities based and I think it's really important because you get to live vicariously through the characters. You get to learn experiences that you yourself probably wouldn't experience.

Emma: Okay! And what is your favorite memory from the school?

Mrs. Filloramo: My favorite memory is when I was pregnant in 2022 and my students, the seniors, contacted administration and they threw me a gender reveal party. And when I walked into the classroom, which, by the way, I knew the gender of the baby, like, for months. It wasn't a secret. Everyone knew I was having a girl: we had a list of names on the board. But literally, when I walked in they shot confetti at me, there was a huge balloon, they made me do the whole process! And it was hilarious.

Gabby: What's your least favorite memory from LBHS?

Mrs. Filloramo: Probably my time after Sandy. Just to see the community in such disarray. It was really hard. I wish I could’ve done more. We had, like, sixty kids in a class. It was a difficult time for the community.

Gabby: I remember very vaguely what the high school looked like before Sandy, but not really anything.

Mrs. Filloramo: What grade were you in?

Gabby and Emma: First.

Mrs. Filloramo: Aw! So cute. Were you displaced?

Gabby: Everyone came to my school.

Emma: People came to my school too. I went to Lindell, she [Gabby] went to East school. People came to Lindell and East.

Mrs. Filloramo: Yeah. So same thing- we had the middle school here. The second floor was given to the middle school. We were upstairs. At the time, I actually co-taught AP Lang, and somebody else taught IB and we were both pushed into the same class.

Emma: What is your main goal when it comes to your students? Like what impact do you want to leave on them?

Mrs. Filloramo: I think, to be open-minded. I would like you to walk away with the idea of not being fully cemented in one concept. It’s important because as you grow, you adopt new understandings. Knowledge is kind of fluid, you know what I mean? I think that perspectives change and grow, and that's important: not to be stuck in some sort of concept. Honestly, it's really just open-mindedness: to consider that knowledge is growing and therefore your mind should be as well.

Gabby: If you could go anywhere right now, where would you go?

Mrs. Filloramo: Australia, to hold a koala. I've always wanted to hold a koala, and I think Mr. Noss has a picture of him holding a koala, and I’m quite jealous.

Emma: My aunt lives in Australia, so my mom and my grandma all went to a koala place.

Mrs. Filloramo: Oh my God. You didn't want to hold a koala?

Emma: No, I want to, but they didn't buy me a plane ticket. Which was so rude of them.

Gabby: I’ve petted a sloth, but I’ve never held a koala.

Mrs. Filloramo: They have the same claws.

Emma: So, what's your deepest darkest secret?

Mrs. Filloramo: I’m, like, silently mischievous. I do silly things sometimes, like when I borrow people’s cars I’ll change their favorite radio stations. Shhh! Just for close friends. Or, my friend works here, and when she first started here, I told everyone her name was different than what it was. And everyone was calling her a different name! And she was like: I don't know why everyone is calling me this, and then I revealed myself. Other than that, I'm addicted to 90 Day Fiance. Honestly, I am. I’m just so interested in people who do those kinds of really extreme risks.

Gabby: What's your worst fear?

Mrs. Filloramo: …

Gabby: You can tell us anything.

Mrs. Filloramo: No! I feel like it's so weird!

Gabby: No, it's not weird!

Mrs. Filloramo: Well honestly, if you guys want to know my real worst fear, like, talking to you seriously, my real worst fear is something bad happening to my children. That would be my real worst fear.

Gabby: Okay, yeah.

Mrs. Filloramo: I don't know, what's your worst fear? That's a hard question!

Emma: I feel like, fireworks. I hate fireworks. I don't know. Because I think I got hit by them once. Ever since then, I don't like fireworks.

Gabby: I used to have a real, horrific fear of the dark. Like, really bad.

Mrs. Filloramo: I don't really know my worst fear. But I guess my worst fear would be being alone. Because I’m such a people person, I can't imagine not having that communication. Have you guys ever seen The Last Unicorn? The whole time, she's the last unicorn. And she's all alone in this world. And she's like, “why am I alone?”

Emma: Do you have any advice for college students or students in general?

Mrs. Filloramo: Balance is the most important thing. And not getting caught up in the small things. I like that mentality: is this going to matter in five minutes, five days, or five years? I think sometimes people put too much pressure on themselves. You have to give yourselves breaks sometimes, but when it comes to actual academics, procrastination can be really bad. Especially with your first semester: going into the college atmosphere after being seniors, if you don't do assignments they build up and they get overwhelming. But if you manage your time and have balance between fun and academics, then everyone will do well. And also remember nothing is really permanent. You can always change your mind, like, don't stress out about that. I think you guys have a lot more stress than I did when I graduated. I really do. I feel like you all work really hard. You're all in a lot of different roles. And I get to see that through CAS.

Gabby: Who was your favorite band or singer or whatever and why?

Mrs. Filloramo: Okay, you can't ask me that. Okay. My husband is a musician. I am obsessed with music. When I was your age, I was obsessed with Tori Amos. The reason why I really loved her was because the things she was saying resonated with me personally. And she's also a lyricist: as an English teacher there has to be a connection. But I’m obsessed with The Doors. I'm obsessed with Jim Morrison.

Gabby: I love The Doors!

Mrs. Filloramo: I love Jim Morrison. But then I also love Stevie Nicks. And I also love people like Susan Tedeschi. I love female singers, but I do love male singers as well. Music, to me, is like when someone asks what your favorite book is: it depends on the moment. Sort of like knowledge being fluid, music is fluid! I feel like what I think that day impacts my favorite. I even love, like, Eminem. I’m all over. What's your favorite?

Gabby: The Doors were my favorite for a long time. But my all time favorite, for years and years, is probably Tame Impala, like, the most constant “favorite”.

Mrs. Filloramo: [To Emma] What about you?

Emma: Hm. It really depends on the mood. Like, today, I’d say Fiona Apple.

Mrs. Filloramo: Oh my God I love Fiona Apple! She has a sick voice. Fiona Apple is back?

Gabby: I think she’s back.

Emma: I found my mom’s cd of Fiona Apple and I loved it.

Mrs. Filloramo: Yeah, right? I think she is back. And I grew up on Nirvana, like, Courtney Love… I love all music.

Gabby: What’s your favorite movie or genre?

Mrs. Filloramo: I really do love comedies: I love laughing. It's my favorite. I do love Will Ferrell, but I don't know if he’s inappropriate. I love Anchorman.

Gabby: I think he’s appropriate. He was in Elf.

Mrs. Filloramo: Yeah! Oh I love Elf! “Buddy elf, what's your favorite color?” And that is my voicemail during Christmas. I love Anchorman. Why? I don't know, because it's just so hilarious. And Stepbrothers? “I got a raw hide leather wallet and Dale got Hulk hands”? Like, that's hilarious. When they do the sleepwalking scene, from Stepbrothers?

Gabby: I’ve never seen it.

Mrs. Filloramo: Are you kidding me?

Emma: We’ll watch it today.

Gabby: Okay, okay, okay.

Mrs. Filloramo: They’re adults. Who never grew up! And they never had real jobs, and they're step brothers. They're sleepwalking in the kitchen and they’re throwing everything! So funny.

Emma: Last question: what's your go-to Starbucks order?

Mrs. Filloramo: This is my area of expertise. Maybe more so than English. Okay, so, I am sporting, which I highly recommend: the venti shaken espresso, upside down, with no classic syrup, three pumps of sugar-free vanilla, and almond milk.

Emma: What does the upside down do?

Mrs. Filloramo: Oh, it shakes it up. Otherwise they have the layers, and who wants layers? Because then you're not getting the full drink experience.

Gabby: How do you even think of that?

Mrs. Filloramo: Before I worked here- I’ve done a lot of things, but I’ve always had a job. I always worked. So, I was offered a regional position at Starbucks. And I was like, I really should. I have a friend who still works at Anthropologie to get discounts: she works two days a week. I’m like: I should really work at Starbucks two days a week to get them too. I make up drinks with my barista. When I come in they say hello to me. Because I go every day. I go every day.

Emma: Do you get a lot of rewards?

Mrs. Filloramo: Not really; they moved the point system up to two hundred. It used to be one-fifty so you could get them sooner, but now it's two hundred. I don't even understand that. For me, it really is, though, economically, a poor choice.

Gabby: But it's a happy choice.

Mrs. Filloramo: Yeah. But my stay at home recommendation would be an espresso machine. Because you get the foam on top.

We had a great time with Mrs. Filloramo, tune in soon for the next teacher spotlight!