Most students at Paint Branch can say they’ve seen the peppy Ms. Freeman around the halls, but few can actually say they’ve had her as a teacher. She started her first full-time teaching career here at Paint Branch, teaching kids Algebra 2, before taking on the task of teaching kids AP B/C Calculus four years ago and, even though she is one of the youngest staff members here at Paint Branch, she has already been here for six years.

Ms. Freeman was born in Providence, Rhode Island, where she grew up in the suburb of Barrington. After high school, she wanted to go to school out of state to “try something new,” and one of her older friends went to the University of Delaware. Once Ms. Freeman went to visit the Delaware Campus, she ended up loving the school and enrolled in 2009.

At Delaware, she earned a bachelor’s in math education. “I feel I got a complete education that has really benefited my teaching career, but the most memorable part of college is the social aspect. I made a core group of friends my freshman year – who all lived in the same dorm as me – and we have been friends ever since.”

It wasn’t until after she began teaching here that she attended the University of Maryland, College Park, to earn her master’s in education and human development. From the start, Ms. Freeman knew she wanted to have a career involving math in some way, but nursing also seemed to catch her interest. However, once she realized that many parts of nursing are more “glammed up” than what she originally thought, she knew it wouldn’t work for her. “I realized that a lot of the tasks that come along with being a nurse – blood, possibly helping out with surgeries – if I was an ER nurse – kinda creeped me out,” she says of why she decided to go back to math.

Ms. Freeman learned from her mother that you have to love your job and not just go where the money is, which is part of why she went into teaching. Also, Ms. Freeman wanted to “give back to the community,” and she couldn’t think of a better way to do it than teaching people something she loved, math. Ms. Freeman specifically chose Paint Branch because she felt she had a better chance of impacting students’ lives here.

Asked how she would describe herself, Ms. Freeman responds with “a fun-loving person who is good at bringing people fun.”

Most students would agree that Ms. Freeman is a fun, spirited teacher. One of her current B/C Calculus students, Rebekah Senderling, believes “Ms. Freeman is one of the best teachers I have ever had! She is always available for help, and I have thoroughly enjoyed her class even though it’s AP B/C Calculus!”

Mr. Fantegrossi, a fellow math department teacher, even went as far as calling the lovable Ms. Freeman a “woo-girl.”
Ms. Freeman has many hobbies outside of school including soccer, exercising and watching football, and she says her favorite team right now is the Baltimore Ravens.

Of course, her life outside of school keeps her busy and keeps the fun flowing. This is why the Fourth of July is her favorite holiday. She likes the idea of barbecuing and fireworks, and being carefree is appealing to her.

However, one of Ms. Freeman’s favorite activities would have to include traveling. She has been to Spain, Morocco, France, and most parts of Europe. She hasn’t traveled too much in the U.S. though, so, along with traveling to Asia, it is something she “really wants to do.”

It hasn’t just been sunshine and rainbows for Ms. Freeman, though. This past summer she had gone skydiving and, even though she was intimidated at first, if she was given the opportunity she would “definitely would do it again.”

One of her more difficult experiences occurred last year in September 2013. She finished her master’s on time, including writing her sixty-plus page independent thesis, even though her appendix ruptured.

Even after the surgery, she still had many complications. She got a severe infection in her stomach which caused abscesses. She was in and out of the hospital and school for over a month.

“In the beginning, it was really tough because I was in a lot of physical pain – definitely the worst pain I have ever been in – and so exhausted. People asked me if I was bored, but honestly I was so sick I slept the whole time in the hospital. But in the beginning, I didn’t think I would be in the hospital/out of school that long. Once the doctors told me I would be out for more than a month, I really started to worry about school. And also being out of Paint Branch, I felt guilty for leaving all of my students with a sub for so long. Thankfully, it all worked out okay!!”