Beirut’s power outages could not stop Mona Alameddine from learning, and now she expects that same determination from her students.
Every class begins with a simple countdown: “Five, four, backpacks off the floor.”
At West Broward High School, Alameddine’s juniors and seniors quickly learn that algebra isn’t the only lesson on the agenda — and that excuses are never welcome. In her classroom, structure is everything. Phones are put away, crosstalk is kept to a minimum, and when it is time for math, every single minute is dedicated to the lesson.
With her strict stance against frequent breaks and a habit of nudging sleepy students, many consider her tough. But Alameddine views her class as a place for redemption where no expectations are pre-assigned, only earned. With classes consisting mostly of seniors, her room provides a space for average students to excel.
For Alameddine, 64, these rules are more than a teaching strategy; they are a direct reflection of her own life. Her childhood and adolescence unfolded against the backdrop of the Lebanese Civil War. She grew up in Beirut from the start of the conflict in 1975 until she left Lebanon with her family in 1987, eventually settling in South Florida.
The 15-year war was marked by bitter rivalries among religious sects — including Sunni Muslims, Shiite Muslims and Maronite Christians — as well as clashes between political groups and foreign occupation, resulting in an estimated 150,000 deaths and the displacement of over one million people.
Alameddine received her early education in a French-speaking school system but later transitioned entirely to English, a chaotic choice influenced by the city’s division into East and West Beirut, ongoing bombings and militia checkpoints.
“English is my third language,” Alameddine said. “After high school, I was supposed to go to a French university, but because of the war, I couldn’t go because of the dangers. So I went to the American University of Beirut, which was a prestigious university, but I went from all French education to entirely English education with just a few hours of conversational English from middle and high school.”
She later graduated with two bachelor’s degrees, one in nutrition and dietetics and another in health education.
“We were driven. We believed in education as the key to a brighter future,” she said. “The value of education was so deeply instilled in my brothers and me that our parents even kept our report cards ready to go in case the family needed to flee.”
No matter how dangerous the circumstances became, school remained the priority.
“Going to school during wartime was difficult; we would have class open for one day, then closed for five, until they ended up shutting it down for the year, so we lost one academic year,” Alameddine said. “We were thrilled to be going to school, but also driven and motivated in our studies in the times we couldn’t go.”
Today, she encourages her South Florida students to appreciate the privilege of learning in an environment free from war and danger, pushing them to develop an optimistic mindset for life beyond high school.
“I want to see my students be motivated to reach their goals. I give them opportunities, but they must do it,” Alameddine said. “In every class, you have students who have A’s and students who have failed, but I don’t focus on the failure; I focus on lifting them up. I know how the real world is outside school, and I try my best to be there for them and prepare them since I mainly teach seniors.”
Felipe Amortegui, 19, who graduated last year from Alameddine’s college algebra class, remembers that relentless push.
“I hated her class,” Amortegui said. “I sat next to my friends, so I found the time fun, but she would always yell at us for talking and was strict with phones. Class was interesting. Sometimes she would discuss global events, or stories of her and her sons, so I think she just wanted us to lock in for the future and be more aware.”
Even amidst the instability of her youth, Alameddine always focused on her community. Despite power outages, water shortages and school closures, she balanced her academics by serving as a civilian aid volunteer and a volunteer nurse, using her education in nutrition.
After leaving Lebanon, Alameddine lived briefly in Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates before immigrating to the United States in 1988. She initially settled in Los Angeles, working as a clinical dietitian, but eventually switched to education to spend more time with her children.
“What I did involved teaching and guiding people, so the teaching part felt natural to me,” she said. “I chose to teach math because it was very natural to me and cut forward. In math, it’s either right or wrong, so I loved it.”
Alameddine has been teaching for 29 years, spending seven years in private schools and 22 years in public schools.
“Mrs. Alameddine is a very kind and understanding teacher. She has a very tough love approach,” said Bianca Russell, 18, a current senior in her class. “At first I thought she hated me, but I understand why she was hard on us because she doesn’t want students to feel like victims of their circumstances, which is something I don’t see many teachers do. She also wants her students to be more informed about things happening in the world. She recently talked about how Iranian schoolchildren were killed, so I think she wants us to appreciate our education and environment.”
Alameddine’s personal mission has always been to press forward, no matter the obstacle. She revealed that she lived with a quarter-sized brain tumor for 20 years.
“My surgeon told me he’s never seen anything like this and cannot understand how I was still functioning,” Alameddine said.
The experience only deepened her optimism.
“I like success. I like to see successful students,” she said. “I don’t give up easily.”
After nearly three decades in the classroom, her greatest joy remains helping seniors cross the high school finish line.
“Actually, what kept me going in teaching was seeing my seniors,” she said. “I feel like I’m giving them that last push. My favorite students are not the ones who have A’s. Of course, I appreciate them, but my favorite ones are those who are applying themselves and growing.”
Beyond equations, Alameddine hopes her students learn about their character and their roles in society, inspiring them to think about both their immediate community and the wider world.
She also embraces her role as a representative for hijab-wearing Muslim women, often serving as the first real-life impression of Islam for her students.
“Many students are skeptical when they first see me,” Alameddine said. “Many think I am a substitute, especially on the first day, but I put in the effort for them to realize that I am a caring teacher who is here to help them improve, whether that is math or other things. I don’t want people to be judged based on the way they look. I want actions to reflect who you are.”
Her faith guides her daily approach to teaching. During the final days of Ramadan, when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, she is reminded to remain patient and focus on helping others.
Through every tribulation, her goal for herself and her students remains simple.
“Try to be the best you can be every day,” she said. “Don’t be a chameleon; stay true to who you are.”
