Lab Teacher Spotlight: Mr. Briante

By Zi Qi Li

Hey Labbies! In this Lab teacher spotlight, we welcome Mr. Briante! You might have noticed him around Lab, teaching 11th graders physics with Ms. Hochstatter or teaching 12th graders AP Calc with Mr. Rubel. This is Mr. Briante’s first year teaching at Lab and we’d love to get to know him better. Without further ado, let’s get started. 

Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Mr. Briante and my pronouns are he/they. I've lived in New York for four years and  moved here from California from Orange County, which is very different from New York City. I love living here and working at Lab. I’m interested in math and science, and the connections of math to climate science specifically. 

Q: What inspired you to become a teacher?

When I started teaching, I didn’t really have a clear grasp of why I wanted to do it, I just liked doing math. And so I thought to myself, okay, what's a job where I can just do math without having to apply it to anything and just do math for the sake of doing math? As I continued to teach, I started to get passionate about helping young people make informed decisions about their lives and their futures. And, seeing students remain engaged with the content and push themselves is just rewarding to me as a teacher. I think that math and science go hand and hand with that because understanding it teaches you to think critically and logically. 

Q: How long have you been teaching?

This is my fourth year teaching. My first year I taught middle school, and last year was my first year in high school, where I taught juniors and seniors as well, and then this year now.  

Q: What were your favorite subjects in school?

My favorite subjects in school were US history and I took European history, and also Calculus. Calculus was the first class where I learned I was good at math. 

Q: Can you share a memorable teaching moment here at Lab so far? 

I would say a lab we did in Physics, where students had a bottle with a string attached to it,   while attached to a hanging mass. The students had to time themselves rolling the bottle so that they could get the string and the mass lifted up to a certain amount of distance. They measured their work – a form of energy – and the power that they outputted in doing that work. So I enjoyed seeing it because it was a good opportunity to see students working together. Everyone seemed engaged and a few students were competitive about it. I think it was one of my favorite moments working at Lab because there's such an emphasis on collaborative learning that as a teacher, makes me feel good knowing that students are taking direction on their own learning.  

Q: What are some of your hobbies or interests outside of teaching?

I’m into weight training and powerlifting. I like playing Nintendo games – Legend of Zelda, any of the games like Tears of the Kingdom, Breath of the Wild, Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time – I’m a very big Zelda nerd. I play pokemon as well, but not so much more recently. I’ve played all of the games since they first came out except for Pokemon Sun and Moon. I’ve played Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, Metroid, and Super Smash Bros. I also enjoy reading and writing when I have time. 

Q: Do you have any favorite books, movies, or music that you’d like to share with us?

East of Eden by John Steinbeck is phenomenal.  My favorite book of all time is Heads by Harry by Lois-Ann Yamanaka. That book I think is really beautiful. It's a story about family and connection, and finding purpose in yourself through all the challenges life throws at you. It also deals with alot of relevant and important themes that I think young people could relate to. I love how it talks about beautiful imagery of Hawaii. Interstellar is a great movie – especially as a Physics teacher and math person. If you look into it, the science behind it is actually very accurate so it's interesting. I also like the movie Moonstruck which is an Italian love story and is set in Brooklyn. It’s just a really funny movie. It’s one of the movies where you would put on when it’s cold outside. In terms of music, I recommend Doechii. I’ve listened to her before and I think she’s really grown. You can see how she’s reinvigorating the spirit of music, a lot of the rap and hip hop culture of the 90s, and taking it in a new direction. I also love Charli XCX. I also like Nintendo lofi hip hop.

Q: Do you have any favorite travel destinations or places you dream of visiting?

I went to Iceland a few years ago. It was very beautiful and I saw a glacier, which was surreal to see, given the fact that glaciers are melting. I want to visit the upper peninsula of Michigan because no one talks about the upper peninsula. I want to go to Seattle, Hawaii, and a lot of the U.S.

Q: What's your go-to comfort food?

Spam kimchi fried rice, hot cheetos, and rice pudding. 

Q: Do you have any goals you are seeking to accomplish right now?

I am currently getting a second masters in math and I want to deadlift 405 pounds. 

Q: What is one piece of advice you wish you had received when you were a student?

That nothing in life goes to plan, so learn to be flexible. For me back then, I planned out my life – what college, what degree, what job, and what field. It’s good to have goals and what you want, but life will throw curveballs at you. It’s important to be present in the moment and not take it for granted. 

Q: What is one thing you did that helped you in your academic career?

Creating positive relationships with my classmates and talking to my professors about what I’m interested in, and seeking them out as guidance. I recommend pushing yourself out there, meeting people, and be yourself.

Q: Do you have any hidden talents or unique skills?

I’m really double jointed in my arms and can turn my arm all the way around. 

2024-2025 Edition 2