YLENIA: Hello, Ms. Claudette. Today, Sophie Pule and I will be interviewing you as part of our Voice and Photography Club assignment.
YLENIA: Most people know you teach English and Religion, but if you had to choose between the two, which would it be and why?
MS. CLAUDETTE: I wouldn’t want to choose because I love both subjects. I enjoy teaching English because it was my favorite subject in school when I was younger, and I’ve always loved it. Religion, on the other hand, is very close to my heart, and I particularly love teaching older students because we have deep discussions about important topics.
SOPHIE: Why did you decide to teach at Our Lady Immaculate School?
MS. CLAUDETTE: It wasn’t exactly a decision. There was an opening for a Religion teacher here, so I applied, and I was selected. I didn’t have any other options at the time, but I’m very happy here now.
YLENIA: How did you come up with the idea to create the Rosary Club?
MS. CLAUDETTE: The idea came from discussions I had with another teacher here. We both loved praying the Rosary and shared a passion for making Rosary beads. She no longer teaches here, but we were very good friends. We thought, “Why not create a Rosary Club where students can come together to pray the Rosary once a week during break?” We started with just a few Grade Seven students, and now more and more students join us each week to pray and make Rosary beads.
SOPHIE: What were your intentions when starting the Rosary Club?
MS. CLAUDETTE: My main intention was to provide students with an opportunity to come together, reflect, and find a quiet, peaceful space during one of their lunch breaks.
YLENIA: If you could teach another subject, what would it be and why?
MS. CLAUDETTE: I’d love to teach something creative, like crafts. For example, I could teach students how to bead, paint, draw, crochet, or knit. I would invent my own subject focused on creativity and crafting.
SOPHIE: What inspired you to start teaching here at Our Lady Immaculate?
MS. CLAUDETTE: It all began when I started giving lessons for students preparing for Confirmation. I enjoyed working with them so much that I thought, “Maybe this is something I can do as a full-time job.”
SOPHIE: Why did you choose to teach English and Religion as your subjects?
MS. CLAUDETTE: I didn’t exactly choose them. I originally applied to teach Religion, but when I was hired, they also needed an English teacher. Since English was one of my best subjects in university, I fit the role perfectly.
YLENIA: How long have you been teaching here at Our Lady Immaculate?
MS. CLAUDETTE: This is my eighth year here. I know it might sound like a long time, but I know teachers who have been here much longer—some for at least fifteen years!
YLENIA: Have you taught at any other schools? If so, which ones?
MS. CLAUDETTE: No, this is the only school I’ve taught at. The only other teaching experience I had was at church.
SOPHIE: At what age did you decide to start teaching, and why?
MS. CLAUDETTE: When I was your age, I didn’t want to be a teacher—it wasn’t my first choice. However, as I got older and worked with children at church, I became interested in teaching.
YLENIA: Did you have another career in mind when you were younger? If so, what was it?
MS. CLAUDETTE: I actually had two careers in mind. My first choice was to be a librarian, and I worked as one for many years. My other dream was to be a writer. I wanted to write books for teenagers like you or a little older, but I haven’t achieved that yet.
SOPHIE: If you had the chance to teach at a different school, would you stay or leave? If you would leave, which school would you choose and why?
MS. CLAUDETTE: No, I think I would stay here at Our Lady Immaculate. I’m very happy here, and the students are so sweet.
SOPHIE & YLENIA: Thank you, Ms. Claudette, for the interview. Those were all our questions. We had a lot of fun and would love to do this with you again!
MS. CLAUDETTE: Thank you very much! I enjoyed it, too. It was lovely seeing you both!