Philosophy of Teaching

I believe that the purpose of an educator is to create a stimulating and compassionate learning atmosphere so that diverse students can grow and aspire to fulfill their life goals.  It is my responsibility, as an educator, to make sure that each student achieves his or her full potential, in my class and in everyday life.  It is important for me to relate to all of my students and to become a mentor and role model for them.  

In the classroom, I will demonstrate professionalism, intelligence and compassion in the subject area of mathematics. I will teach and relate to different learning style preferences.  It is essential that I connect with students who have diverse learning patterns, since not every student understands and learns material the same way.  I will teach each lesson plan with multiple strategies to help students comprehend the subject matter in the manner that they are best able to grasp it.  I will attempt to enrich the curriculum for students of all backgrounds, treating each lesson with equity, encouragement, and passion.  I chose to teach the subject of mathematics because I know it is a very difficult subject for many students to master.  I will share my passion for mathematics and ponder crafty and enjoyable ways to make mathematics relevant to the lives and aspirations of my students.  I will create a positive learning environment for all students and be culturally responsive as a teacher.  I believe that it is my obligation to inspire each and every student to do their very best.  

In today’s day and age, receiving an exceptional education is absolutely imperative to becoming successful.  I take it as my responsibility to make sure that each one of my students is prepared for the next step in his or her life.  My students are the future leaders of this great country and, as an educator, I refuse to fail them.

Vocabulary with definitions:

1)  stimulating:  encouraging and interesting

2) essential:  necessary to do

3)  multiple:  more than one

4)  curriculum:  class material

5) obligation:  an action you must do

6) imperative:  vital or crucial

Vocabulary Exercise:

                                   Matching

1)  stimulating                                   a)  class material

2) essential                                       b) vital or crucial

3)  multiple                                        c)  encouraging and interesting

4) curriculum                                    d) an action you must do

5) obligation                                      e) more than one

6) imperative                                     f) necessary to do

Grammar point:  In my passage I used a lot of different adjectives.  We use adjectives to describe a noun or action.  Please highlight all of the different adjectives throughout the passage.

Grammar exercise:  Write about what you want to be when you grow up and why.  Use different adjectives to describe how you see yourself as an adult.

Trip to Rochester

During this past February break, I had the opportunity  to travel to Rochester to coach the Dowling women's basketball team.  The travel to Rochester was long and cold!  Eight hours on a bus with points of it snowing was not an exciting way to start this trip.  Nevertheless, our girls knew that we weren't traveling for fun, but to get a job completed.  We were traveling to play in two games that would determine if we had a playoff spot in the ECC championships. The girls had their game faces on as they awoke Friday morning anxious to play.  After winning our first game of the weekend comfortably by 20 points, we knew we earned the 6th seed in playoffs. The girls were extremely excited to possibly win another championship.  They know that in order for their championship dreams they're going to need to be more hours in the gym and practice harder than ever.  There is a great possibility that we can win and I'll be able to cut down nets at my first year coaching.

Vocabulary with definitions:
1) opportunity:  chance to do something
2)  coach:  teacher of sports
3)  playoff:  game leading to the championship
4)  anxious:  excited
5)  seed:  placement in the playoffs
6) comfortably:  easily, with room

Vocabulary exercise:
               Matching

1) opportunity               a)  excited

2) coach                       b) easily, with room

3)  playoff                     c)  placement in the playoffs

4)  anxious                     d) chance to do something

5)  seed                          e) game leading to the championship

6)  comfortably                 f) teacher of sports


Grammar point: In the above passage there is usage of the words their, there, and they're.  We use their to express possession.  There to express placement and They're to connect the are.  Highlight in the passage all the times one of these words were used.

Grammar Exercise:  Write 5 sentence for use usage of there, their and they're.  Make sure you use the correct word for each sentence.  

 

Best Basketball Experience in College

Through hard work dedication, and practice, anything is possible to achieve.  My first day at Molloy College as a young 18 year old, I was  eager to get into the gym for my first collegiate practice.  As eager as I was, I was also nervous.  Our first practice was conditioning and I didn't know what to expect.  I tried my best to keep up with the fastest seniors and remember some teammates running over to the garbage to throw up.  While we were all dying my coach lectured us- "Septermeber 7, 2009- you will not forget this day.  It is the beginning.  All of our hard work will pay off when we are cutting down nets."  Little did we know he was going to be right.
Day in and day out we put many ours into our team play.  We practiced, watched film, scouted other teams and knew their offenses better than they knew theirs.  With all the time we put in, we were not just teammates but along became a family and sisterhood.  Clinching a great spot to make playoffs we were excited to compete for the ECC championship.
The ECC playoffs that year were at C.W Post.  We hated post- so it meant that much more to win the at gymnasium.  Both the semi- final and final game were close games:  Hard defense being played- tough shots being hit.  When the final buzzer went off and we knew we had won, out stands, bench, and coaches went crazy.  I will never forget that moment of cutting down those nets.  Everything we worked towards paid off and made those grueling practices worth it.

What is your most memorable experience in school?

Vocabulary with definitions:
1) eager: excited, unable to wait
2) conditioning:  a practice where all you do is run and do cardio
3)  lectured: spoke for a duration of time
4)  sisterhood:  strong bond among friends  
5)  clinching:  to grab or obtain
6) grueling:  difficult

Vocabulary exercise:
                             Matching
     A                                               B
1) eager                              a) strong bond among friends

2) conditioning                     b) difficult

3) lectured                           c) to grab or obtain

4)  sisterhood                      d) a practice where all you do is run and do cardio

5) clinching                           e)  excited, unable to wait

6) grueling                            f)  spoke for a duration of time


Grammar Point:   In my passage, I used a various mixture of punctuation including a comma.  We use commas to separate two independent clauses or separate elements in a series.  Highlight each sentenced that used a comma.

Grammar Exercise: Write about your favorite experience in school.  Can be a academically, athletically or any other activity you engage in at school.  In your writing, try and use commas correctly.  

Winter Olympics

The amount of dedication and hours athletes put in, finally pay off in the Olympic games.  The bi-annual winter Olympics is taking place at Soshi, Russia.  The top athletes of each country compete against each other to win gold, silver and bronze medals.  The Olympic games is always the high caliber of athletes, so each event is always extraordinary to watch.  There are many different sports played during the winter Olympics: ice skating, skiing, snowboarding, curling.  It's entertaining to watch each event and country to compete in certain sports you may not watch everyday on television.  The opening ceremony this year was truly amazing.  It was very entertaining to see how Russia opened the Olympics.  The thrill on each athletes face makes me excited to see how the XXII Winter Olympics will play out.      

What is your favorite event in the Winter Olympics?  Do you have any favorite athletes competing?

Vocabulary with definitions:

1) bi-annual:  occurs every 2 years

2)  compete:  play against

3)  caliber:  level

4)  extraordinary:  very good, amazing

5)  opening ceremony:  beginning of the Olympics where each country's athletes walk in with their flag

6)  thrill: excitement

Vocabulary Exercise:

1)  The ________________ winter Olympics is taking place in Russia this year.

2)  During the _____________________, each country held their flag with pride.

3)  Sarah and Fred _______________ in a game of chess after school.

4)  The food at the wedding wasn't just good, it was ___________________.

5)  The _________________ of the report was sub par.  

6)  You can see the ____________ and excitement of the students when they say the lion at the zoo.

Grammar Point:  There are a few Proper Nouns throughout my blog this week.  Please highlight each proper noun in the passage.  

Grammar Exercise:  Write a paragraph on your favorite sport to watch in the Olympic games.  Make sure you capitalize all of your proper nouns and use new vocabulary! 

    

Super Bowl Sunday

What is this Super Bowl Sunday everybody is raving about?  Is it a day of festivities that you can only eat out of a bowl?  Like a gigantic bowl of cereal or soup?  No silly, The Super Bowl is the championship game of the NFL football season.  Fans root for their favorite or home team and hope their teams win.  During the superbowl people gather around to watch the game, while eating a different array of food: wings, chili, sandwiches, spinach dip and of course football shaped cookies.  You would assume most people observe this game primarily for the high intensity level of play, but, often times most people watch the game for the commercials.  Companies spend millions of dollars in ads during the superbowl since they know a large audience is watching.  I like to enjoy the whole Sunday hanging out with friends, watching the game, and eating chicken wings!

What is your favorite NFL team?  Why do you watch the Superbowl?



Vocabulary with definitions:

1) Gigantic:  very big
2) Championship:  final game of a sport or event
3) NFL:  National Football League.  professional football
4) Root:  to cheer for
5) Primarily:  the number one reason
6) Intensity:  extreme

Vocabulary Exercise:
1.  In the ________________ game, millions of people watch it on television.
2.  For dessert, I really want a ______________ bowl of ice cream.
3.  Little kids dream to one day play in the ___________.
4.  I always __________ for the New York team in any sport.
5.  The ______________ of the game made it very exciting to watch.
6.  ____________, I prefer to watch basketball.

Grammer Point:  All of the sentences in the passage about have proper subject-verb agreement.  Highlight the subject in each sentence and state whether it is singular or plural.

Grammer Exercise:  Write a description of your favorite sport to watch and your favorite team.  For each sentence highlight the subject and state whether it is singular or plural.  Also, use any new grammar words that you have learned

Winter Blues

The last snow storm and talk of a new one coming this week makes me miss the summer.  The illuminating sunshine turning my skin a golden bronze, the beach and of course, off from school.  I can't help but look online to find a nice getaway to paradise.  I keep envisioning myself on the beach with a nice pina colada in my hand and someone feeding me grapes.  Then, I look out the window and see snow and ice, and reality sinks in.  Last week I planned a trip to the Dominican Republic for spring break just to compensate for this treacherous weather.  Driving has been unbearable here, a fifteen minute car ride has become a fifty minute travel.  Summer where are you?!?

What is your favorite season?  What do you like to do?

Vocabulary with definitions:  
illuminating- bright
envisioning- to imagine
reality- the truth
compensate- to make up for
treacherous- awful
unbearable- hard to deal with

Vocabulary Exercise:
Fill in the blank:

1.  The sun was _________________ and reflecting off all the car windshields in the parking lot.
2.  She was _________________ what her life would be like if she was famous.
3.  In _______________, the price of a gallon of gas is only double the amount of a water bottle.
4.  To __________________ for your low test grades, it is important to have an excellent homework average.
5.  The roads are __________________ in the snow.
6.  The amount of work and school work I have is ____________________.

Grammar Point:  In my passage I used a lot of verbs to describe my summer fantasies.  Please highlight each verb used throughout the passage.

Grammar Exercise:  Write a passage about what your favorite season is and how you like to enjoy that season.  In your writing, use some new vocabulary and use verbs to describe what you do in your season of choice.

The Italian Christmas- Marra Style

With Christmas just passing, I have been thinking of how different cultures celebrate the holiday of Christmas.  Within families there is different traditions and customs that are done every year.  In the Italian household, Christmas Eve is definitely more celebrated than Christmas day.    At Christmas Eve, the entire family from both my mom and dad's side come over to eat a huge multiple course meal filled with delicious food.  The Italians like to have a feast of the seven fishes.  After dinner, we spend some wonderful family bonding time and sometimes play games.  Throughout the night, we are patiently waiting for Santa Claus to arrive at our house.  Before midnight, my father dresses up as Santa Claus and comes with a gigantic bag of presents and delivers one to each member of the family.  On Christmas Eve, we are allowed to all open one present and we have to wait until morning to see what else Santa brings us.  Every year, this whole production gets better and better.  It is highly entertaining and enjoyable for all the family and friends that come to celebrate. 

What is your favorite holiday? How do you celebrate it?




Vocabulary with definitions:
1) traditions- event that happens annually
2) multiple- many or a lot of
3)  delicious- tasting very good
4) feast of the seven fishes- seven different fishes prepared for the holiday.
5) bond- a form of attachment
6)  Santa Claus- magical man that delivers gifts for the holiday



Vocabulary Excercise:
Fill in the blanks:
1)  It is very nice to leave cookies and milk for _________________  and his reindeer.
2)  During the school day, you take ________________ classes.
3)   I have a strong _______________ with my family.
4)  During the _______________________________ it is hard to stop eating because the food is too good!
5)  For your birthday, we must go out to dinner, it's ______________________!
6)  My favorite dessert is _______________ chocolate cake.



Grammar Point: The passage above includes many verbs and phrases in the past tense.  List those verbs and any words that indicate the present time such as:  words ending in "ed" and have. 


Grammar Exercise:  Write a description of your favorite holiday using words in the past tense and any new vocabulary words that you have learned.