Many people want to help others through the medical field, which is the pathway that science teacher Rita Burmanroy was originally on, she said. While on this path, Burmanroy realized she did not want to pursue it and instead focused on a career in teaching, she said. Burmanroy, who also teaches AVID, first started as a student-teacher in New York for a year before moving to Milpitas, where she has been teaching for
eight years, she said. While on the pre-medical path, Burmanroy majored in biology and earned a master’s at Adelphi University and a bachelor’s at Stony Brook University, she said.
During this time, she was a TA for biology and gained experience teaching others, she added.
Being a TA “was kind of where I was exposed to the idea that I could be a teacher,” Burmanroy said. “There was a program available for people like me who have knowledge of biology that could
transfer to being a teacher and at that point, I was like, ‘Yes, that sounds great,’ and so I continued on.” When Burmanroy first arrived at MHS, life science teacher Karen Truesdell mentored her, Truesdell said. She helped Burmanroy with paperwork to certify her as a teacher and guided
Burmanroy in how to handle certain classroom situations, Truesdell said. When Burmanroy first started teaching at MHS, her classroom was in L22, Truesdell said.
“Since then, she’s moved up (upper L building) here next door and it’s wonderful,” Truesdell said. “We talk in the morning like, ‘What are you teaching today?’ and have really good conversation.”
Truesdell has gotten to know Burmanroy on a more personal level, she said.
“It’s funny because I personally think that Ms. B is who she is,” Truesdell said. “Her personality is on her sleeve. She’ll tell you exactly who she is, and that’s beautiful.”
While working at MHS, Burmanroy met her now-fiancé, special education teacher Travis Blair, Blair said. The two became close because of their similar interests, such as their love for nature, he added.
“She’s a fantastic person all around,” Blair said. “I can’t think of a single negative thing about her. I would say that if you have her as a teacher, be nice to her because she’s a very kind-hearted, nice person.”
Beyond school, Burmanroy loves exploring the outdoors, especially through hiking, she said.
Another one of her pastimes is listening to 90’s music and discovering new genres of music, she said.
“I used to actually be a DJ at a radio station and discovering new music is something that’s been
consistent for most of my years,” Burmanroy said. In the classroom, Burmanroy tries to give her students a more hands-on approach, she said. One of her favorite lessons to teach in the classroom is one where stu-
dents in her Anatomy and Physiology class create fake wounds using arts and crafts materials and then analyze them, she added.
“It’s a really good way to have students show what they know as opposed to just a regular multiple
choice test,” Burmanroy said. “I love giving them (students) more interactive opportunities.”
Burmanroy is also very involved on campus and is the advisor of the CodeQuest club, One Long Story club, and MedPath club. “Those (clubs) give opportunities to students that like to come together with a shared interest, and that’s something that I wish I had when I was in high school,” Burmanroy said. “I want students to have those opportunities so that’s what drives me to be engaged and be a part (of these clubs).”
Despite not staying on the pre-medicine pathway, Burmanroy found a different avenue for her knowledge of biology through teaching, she said. Her main advice to students is to find what brings them happiness and pursue it, she added.
“I want everyone to pursue what lights them up,” Burmanroy said. “I didn’t go into research. But what still lights me up is biology and those topics. So I think any advice I would give is that you need to figure out what it is that makes you want to wake up in the morning, that makes you want to go out there and be a part of society.”