Rebecca Tessarolo

Teaching the future firefighters, engineers, doctors, coders, and future educators of the world is a big responsibility, but is supported by an unconditional love. Teaching means supporting students to achieve their goals. Teaching means differentiated instruction because we all don't start at the same spot, end up in the same spot, or take the same road to get there. Teaching means being a role model. Teaching means demonstrating the importance of finding a passion that will drive your learning. Forbes supports that "Every individual has gifts and talents that can make a lasting impact."  ​Shouldn't we be bringing out those gifts in students? Wouldn't identifying student talent highlight their strengths they can use to subtract fractions or synthesize texts?

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My Classroom

My classroom is travel theme. Growing up, my passion was solely education. After my EDventures teaching in Indiana, Illinois, New Zealand, and now Colorado, my passion has evolved.

 

You could come into my classroom any week day at any time and identify my passion for innovation in education. Why? Because it models a sense of commitment to change and adaptation. 

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At the beginning of my first year in the classroom, I shared my travel adventures from the summer and realized my students, wanted to, but couldn't relate. While majority of my students might have never stepped foot on a plane, I used this as an experience to travel-fy my classroom. Creating aviation/travel-themed classroom duties, students learned how to embrace the aviation lifestyle, opening their perspectives outside of Colorado. In another classroom, this travel theme might build a whole new STEAM exploration, research opportunity, or expand student perspective. Piaget emphasizes "Discovery learning and supporting the developing interests of the child" which are two instructional techniques I have developed in my classroom to make meaning for students relating their experiences and ideas. Assessing and reassessing needs and interests in the classroom will help guide innovative instruction and practices.

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Teaching Style

Raised in a school where "innovation, differentiated instructional practices, and risk taking are supported", I was eager to maintain that approach in my future classroom. I benefitted from the chances I was allowed to take, the questions I was fostered to ask, in addition to a supportive, nurtured environment. Providing students with opportunities to ask "real" questions and expect "real" answers enhances their understanding of the "real" world and how they can play a role in it, someday. Today, I hold an expectation students are to participate and be accountable for their work and behavior during my lessons. However, if a student begins to act out of turn, we have the conversation of why. What do they need from me to help refocus and make this lesson their lesson. Making lessons, topics, and units personal to students offers engaging opportunities for all students, considering their uniqueness.

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Engaging Students

Maybe the student "can't read" because she can never relate to the fictional characters. If the student aspires to be a veterinarian, we can find text at her level including sick animals. Maybe the student "hates math" because he doesn't understand why he will need to subtract fractions in the real world. If the student has a passion for cars, we can discuss how mechanics use different sized bolts required for each part of a car, referring to the sizes as fractions. Enabling students to apply their passions in the classroom can be a big front load of work in the beginning of the year, but sets up a platform engaging students in each subject, class, lesson, and assessment going forward.

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My Goal

My goal is to foster a learning environment inviting students to find their own purpose in education. If a student "hates math" or "can't read", it is my job to help them find a bigger purpose. Considering my students' passions, talents, and gifts, I can brainstorm how to modify our perspectives. It's 2023. It's time to use technology to effectively enhance and engage instruction. It's time to transform our classrooms. It's time to adapt and innovate instruction.