Someone You Should Know….

             My name is Angela Genovesi, and I am the new 8^th grade teacher here at SMG.  I am also the new math teacher for the 5^th through 8^th grade students and will be teaching art during specials.  While this is my first year as a teacher at SMG, I am familiar with many aspects of this environment because not only did I myself attend SMG for kindergarten through 8^th grade, but I also worked at the day care center from my freshman year of high school up until I received this position.  I Attended Dominican University and graduated this past May with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics.  I am mainly inspired by those around me and the interactions that I have with them.  If I see that the students are really excited about a topic that makes me enjoy teaching it even more.  I love to read and spend time with my family and friends.  I really enjoy reading thriller/detective novels by Linda Fairstein.  I also like to play pool, listen to music, and watch any movie with John Travolta in it.

             When it comes to my education philosophy, I feel that a student’s interests should come into play as much as possible, the classroom should be mainly student centered, and many different approaches to the subject matter should be taken.  In the process of education teachers and the students each have their own roles.  Teachers are there to facilitate student learning and set them on a path that will lead them to knowledge and understanding about many things.  They are there to pass on information that is relevant to what is happening in the world and to the subject matter being taught.  Teachers should explain what needs to be done and why, should answer questions to the best of their ability, should help, should assist, should lead, should inform, should have an environment that is organized and workable in, and should be an example to the students.  Students should be responsible, should listen, pay attention, think about the material, participate in class activities and discussions, and do assignments related to it.  Teachers and students should learn from, teach, and help each other.

            This being my first year as a teacher I am looking forward to all of the activities that will be happening in my class including all of the 8^th grade events.  I am looking forward to trying to incorporate food into my math lessons in order to make them even more appealing (to my students’ minds and stomachs.)