Aquila: What do you do in your spare time?
Rifkin: I like watching sports, gardening, traveling, and playing with my cats.
Aquila: What’s your favorite thing about Winslow High School?
Rifkin: It’s the people, such as my colleagues, and the students make it fun.
Aquila: How would you describe yourself in one word? Why?
Rifkin: I would describe myself as caring. I don’t know, because a lot of what I do at work and outside of work, I tend to think about how other people feel. For example when I ask students to do something, I try to offer an explanation because I would like that if the roles were reversed.
Aquila: What inspired you to teach?
Rifkin: It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do for a long time.
Aquila: Would you rather have bus duty or lunch duty for the rest of the year and why?
Rifkin: I would rather have bus duty for the rest of the year because it’s shorter.
Aquila: What’s your favorite food from the cafeteria?
Rifkin: Nachos with cheese and meat, and also the taco bar.
Aquila: How do you remember student’s names?
Rifkin: I think seeing them every day, and names are important to people, so it’s important to call people by their name.
Aquila: What are the advantages and disadvantages of technology in school?
Rifkin: Advantages is information at your fingertips, if a student is absent I can send them the work and the student won’t fall behind, and sharing ideas with teachers. Disadvantages is misleading information and people or students copy and pasting work.
Aquila: If you could grow up in any decade, which would you choose?
Rifkin: I’ve always been attracted to the 1960’s because of the music, cultural changes, and styles in general. I also wouldn’t mind reliving the 1990’s.
Aquila: What is your most favorite place/places you’ve visited and why?
Rifkin: My most favorite place I’ve visited is.. I think Florence, Italy because it’s the home of the Renaissance. I got to see it and teach it, also the food was incredible. Also Munich, Germany, I’ve been to Germany six times, it feels like home.
