When you talk to Mrs. Tiburzio, it does not feel as if you are chatting with a teacher. It feels as if you are catching up with one of your friends after a long day. Mrs. Tiburzio is one of the few who breaks the stereotype of a math teacher. If you do not know her, I recommend going up to her room and introducing yourself. Though it may be awkward, it is a good kind of awkward. Walk into her class and you’ll hear giggles, strange jokes, probability, and of course “schwas.” She’s quirky like a Wes Anderson Movie, and is constantly making the class burst into laughter. Mrs. Tiburzio has a clear sense of self that she applies to her teaching, and to her everyday life. That is why she is worthy of recognition from everybody at Harriton.

Harrison Banner: Did you like math growing up? Was it that one class that you were excited to get to?

Mrs. Tiburzio: *Giggles* definitely not. In math you like knew what you were going to expect rather than other classes. I felt like other classes they might say like, “Oh, work with a partner” or “Stand up and go do something.” But math class was always like, “Just work on your paper.” So I always knew it was a time where I would actually use my brain.

HB: Where did you meet your dog?

Tiburzio: Oh my god. I met him on a farm when we went to pick out puppies, because we knew they had a litter and they had a bunch of them and we wanted to pick the most biggest one.

HB: Why a big dog?

Tiburizo: Yeah, I don’t know. We just wanted a big, huge dog to like knock into stuff. He’s 100 pounds!

HB: You have a fan on an orchid in your room running at all times. Why is this?

Tiburzio: It’s kind of a joke because my mother in-law gave me the orchid for my birthday. So I am always worried that I am not going to be the right person for her son and that she thinks I am, so like I am always worried about that stuff. And she gave me this orchid and I was pretty sure I was going to kill it but it was one of those things where I had to prove to her that I was good enough. So I went online and researched all the things you have to do to care for an orchid, which are very easy to kill. And I went over the top because it has to grow a lot so I can show her and she’s going to know when she sees and I’ll be like, “Look at dissss” (laughs).

HB: You told us you chew gum but only when you run. Some would call this strange behavior while others would just call it Mrs. Tiburzio. Why chew and jog?

Tiburzio: I think gum is really gross. Its like something fell off a part of your mouth and you are like chewing on it. It doesn’t feel right to me and it makes me feel like a cow chewing cud. But I like it when I run because I get thirsty and it keeps my mouth wet instead of dry. Like a desert.

HB: You are taking a creativity class outside of school. What is so creative about a class on creativity?

Tiburzio: The class is really cool. It talks about how creativity is the one thing that we don’t encourage in students enough. They say schools kill creativity. Like kids, when they are younger, are wide-eyed and so excited to try and investigate new things and they don’t mind if they don’t do well at something. But as people get older they become more grade focused and are less likely to take risks by putting themselves out there. That was one of the things I was proud of when I was younger, when people called me creative. I want to show everyone that they have that.

HB: Tell us about prom.  

Tiburzio: Terrifying. The minute it was over I just started crying. I had to get everything ready and there are a lot of expectations. But I don’t know, I went to a few proms and they were all kind of boring. I think it is made for some people but not me. There have been a lot of awkward exchanges when people pull my arm and tell me to come dance and I say no; it can get weird because I stand firm on the no *giggles*.

HB: Sounds stressful. Our final question: Why shwa?

Tiburzio: Oooooo, that’s a good question. It’s like a word but not a word. Its like a fill in the blank type of word; a place holder. If you can’t think of a specific word, you just say shwa. Any word is kind of up for interpretation anyways so I think why not just take all meaning away from the word and use it anyway you want and let it mean anything you want.

HB: Like it makes no sense at all, yet it makes so much sense.

Tiburzio: Yeah, exactly.