Commonwealth students and alumni/ae consistently—and overwhelmingly!—praise our teachers for being undeniably, unabashedly enthusiastic about their subject material, whether that be differential calculus, photography, neuroscience, ancient history, or anything in between. For Michael Samblas, his life-long love of literature not only colors his English 10 and Dive In classes, but bubbles over into lunchtime and after-school activities, where he leads similarly enthusiastic students in conversations about Caribbean literature and hosts movie screenings to augment lessons on beloved classics like Frankenstein. Read on to learn more about this Miami native and discover a few more of his passions.                             

Getting to Know You

What is bringing you joy right now?

Feeling like I’ve got a better handle on work-life balance than I have in years! At Commonwealth, I’m thoroughly enjoying working with this year’s tenth graders. Outside of work, I’ve been a lot more intentional about spending time with friends and loved ones, as well as keeping in touch with those who don’t live in Boston.

What is your favorite book (or a book you’ve re-read)?

I’ve recently re-read Derek Walcott’s Omeros in preparation for my upcoming Caribbean Literature class. As always, it floored me. It’s been a favorite of mine ever since I first read it in college. Whenever I revisit it, I often find myself putting it down and going for a walk just to ruminate on a particular passage.

What are your favorite comfort foods? 

Given my cultural roots, Cuban food will always hold a special place in my heart. I love trying new cuisines, but nothing can quite compare to the nostalgia of your childhood favorites. Some of my fondest memories involve pastelitos de guayaba (Cuban guava pastries) and ham croquettes for breakfast. I end up doing a lot of cooking these days, since there aren’t a lot of Cuban restaurants in Boston!

What do you do in your free time?

These days I don’t have as much free time as I’d like, but I do enjoy spending time with my friends whenever I get the chance. I also like reading, watching movies, running, cooking, and traveling.

What was your favorite class in high school? 

I know it’s the obvious answer, but my favorite subject was easily English. I also really loved the AP Art History class I took as a sophomore.

Describe Commonwealth students in three words or less.

Thoughtful, passionate, weird (in a good way!)

Working at Commonwealth

What led you to teaching and to Commonwealth in particular? 

I’ve always loved literature, and this job gives me the opportunity to share my passion for it with others. I started at Commonwealth through teaching English for the summer Dive In program, but I’m grateful that I’ve been able to see what Commonwealth looks like during the school year as well. I’ve grown particularly fond of how eager to learn the students here are, as well as the strong sense of community the school fosters.

What courses do you teach, and how did you develop them?

I teach English 10. Honestly, I was filling a last-minute opening, so I largely assembled the curriculum in about a week by frantically looking through what has been offered in past iterations of the course. I’ve since played around with the curriculum more, especially the short-story unit, which has gradually shifted away from the heavy focus on Hemingway it had my first year. In the future, I hope to tinker with the lessons even more, especially once I have more free time after I finish my Ph.D. program.

Can you share a bit about the Caribbean Reading Group you started this year? How did it come about, and what has the experience been like so far?

Caribbean literature is one of my research focuses in grad school. I’ve always wanted to teach a class on the subject, which can be difficult given the generalized nature of most high school English classes. On Diversity Day, I led a workshop called “What it Means to Study the Caribbean,” and there seemed to be a lot of student interest in doing more of this type of work, so I decided to put the reading group together as a way of testing material for an elective that I’m hoping to develop for next year. So far, we’ve looked at Jamaican dialect poetry, the original Haitian constitution, some Latin American magical realism, and, most recently, a poem by Kamau Brathwaite.

What does a typical day look like for you?

After getting ready in the morning, I start working on my dissertation until it’s time to head to Commonwealth. I tend to read on my commutes, sometimes recreationally but more often texts relevant to my work. At Commonwealth, my time is split between meeting students, teaching classes, grading assignments, and continuing to work on my dissertation, which I do intermittently whenever I have a few free minutes. When I get home after school, I’ll either get ready to spend time with my friends (if I have plans that night) or cook dinner and relax at my place (unless I have a big stack of papers to grade, as is often the case).

What does success look like in your classes?

I’m not a fan of grades, and consequently do not believe that getting an “A” in my class is the only mark of success. If my students improve their reading and writing abilities, engage thoughtfully with complex ideas, demonstrate a willingness to embrace nuance and ambiguity, and display an interest in learning skills rather than chasing grades, I consider the school year to be a success.

Meet More Commonwealth Faculty