WOODBURY – Anyone who walks into her room can feel it: a combination of energy, enthusiasm, and palpable excitement. A day spent in Kristen Pisano’s math class is a day well-spent and is sure to keep students engaged and learning. 

It’s no simple task engaging teenagers into the world of calculus and algebra, but for Pisano, it’s her superpower. 

“Activities such as watching videos really help my students,” says Pisano. “It’s something that gives you a visual of what we are doing and gives insight into the future, as well as real world examples to give students a taste of what complicated subjects like polynomials will help you do in the future. I also think the visuals of different applications of calculus in the real world really show students that we aren’t teaching them something that’s completely useless, but rather making them well-rounded individuals.” 

Activities that range from videos, creative graphing, kinesthetic learning at white boards, and collaborative projects, Pisano makes math come to life. Many students enjoy these engaging activities over simply completing worksheets every class, and express that it really helps them understand the topic. 

For Pisano, teaching and a passion for education is a family affair. Pisano’s husband, Vinny, is a history teacher at Woodbury Middle School. Sharing a profession with your spouse has made it even easier for Pisano to improve her skills as a teacher throughout the years. To go along with this, it has made not only their teaching abilities, but also their relationship stronger. 

“Having a spouse as a teacher can mean having a partner at home who understands both the challenges and joys of the job, be they professional, creative, or personal,” says Vinny Pisano, who although he may teach a different subject, can appreciate his wife’s passion for teaching. “We talk about ways to make our teaching more effective, we work through ideas together to overcome challenges, and we support each other when we need it. Additionally, having the same basic schedule and work calendar helps when it comes to planning for childcare, family outings, etc.”

Not only students notice her outstanding ability to teach a subject, but her husband, who isn’t even in the classroom with her, notices it too. 

“My wife is a good teacher for several reasons,” says Pisano. “Most importantly, she cares deeply about the success of her students. Beyond that, she’s sensitive to the possible pitfalls of learning math, understanding that it doesn’t come easy for many. Lastly, she remembers that learning should be fun and that relationships are just as essential as content.”

These unique abilities have made her a favorite among the student body. 

“Pisano was one of my favorite teachers for many reasons,” says Brenna Maklary, one of Pisanos former algebra students. “She makes sure that everyone in her class understands the topic before moving on and explains all of the steps really well. She comes up with engaging projects to make understanding math fun. She was always happy and upbeat in class, even on Mondays, she never seemed to have a bad day.”

Not only does Pisano keep students engaged, but she makes sure they comprehend the subject at hand. Her vibrant and colorful notes keep students invested as well as making the steps to complex equations simple and easy to follow. 

“Pisano is a great teacher, and helps students in any and every subject she teaches by making problems fun but still tricky enough to keep my mind engaged,” says Brianna Brainard, an NHS senior who is also one of Pisano’s Pre-Calculus students. “She knows how to capture attention, and helps students to feel confident when they need to ask questions or get the help they need. I truly respect her and believe she is an amazing teacher.” 

Universally, tests and quizzes, especially in math, are something that everyone has dreaded. Whether it’s because they feel unprepared, exhausted, unmotivated or don’t understand the subject. However, this is not the case in Pisano’s classroom. 

“In some of my other math classes over the years some teachers seem to rush into tests,” says Noah Sapack, an NHS senior who is a Pre Calculus student. “They make it seem like it’s just the students responsibility to study and know everything off the top of their head, but Pisano is different. She makes sure to have reviews for any quizzes or tests we take and makes it a point that we go over the reviews before taking the test. To go along with this, she uses a lot of positive reinforcement before completing a worksheets or projects to encourage us that we can pass and do good on the assignment.”  

Sapack isn’t the only person who can relate to this. 

With her engaging written-notes, well organized study guides, and being available for help any time that she’s in the building, all of her students feel ready and confident to take the next test. 

Pisano’s teaching skills go beyond the surface of just the “written” portion of the class. Her energy and personality has made it easy for students to learn and ask questions without feeling ashamed, even if she just taught the topic. 

While the demands of teaching can be exhausting emotionally, students and colleagues remark  how, for Pisano, she brings a consistency that’s nothing short of remarkable. No matter what time of day or class that she is teaching, she always maintains a positive and vibrant attitude.  

“When I had Pisano last year as a teacher, she never was in a bad mood,” says Cassidy Sanzone, a former Algebra 2 student. “She was always positive and made the class fun for the students as well as being very flexible with work that we missed.” 

No matter how you add it up, there’s something special about how Pisano runs her classroom. 

“Pisano is a very kind person,” said Sanzone. “She’s an easy going teacher who is amazing at her job.”