2007-2009
The Bilingual School of Monza
PYP Classroom teacher
I started teaching at The Bilingual School of Monza in September 2007. During my first year at the school, I took on many roles. I was the English Language Teacher for a mixed-age class of first and second graders. I learned a lot about differentiation while having students in the same class with such a vast difference in capabilities.
After my first year as a PYP classroom teacher, I was able to attend a “Making the PYP happen in the classroom” workshop in Munich. I was able to develop more meaningful inquiry-based lessons during my second year because of the workshop and having taught in a PYP classroom for a year. In my second year, I stayed with the same class in grades 2 & 3.
The school was a PYP candidate school, and I received training both in school and externally. I led a few other staff members in developing the school’s Program of Inquiry in line with the Italian National Curriculum.
ICT Coordinator
For both of my years at the school, I served as the school’s ICT Coordinator and developed the school-wide ICT Curriculum. I worked with the teachers to help them integrate ICT into their lessons. Additionally, I assisted in maintaining the school’s computer lab and all of the classroom computers. I also played a role in setting up the school’s network and computers when the Middle School relocated to a different site. In my final year at the school, I was responsible for designing and maintaining the school’s two websites. Furthermore, I transitioned the school to Google Apps for Education, facilitating greater collaboration among staff members.
Physical Education Teacher (2007-08)
Another role that I had during my first year at the school was as the Physical Education teacher for all of the students from Transition to Grade 3. I worked with the existing PE team to develop lessons that helped the students build their physical literacy, coordination, and teamwork skills in a fun and engaging way, aligning with the principles of the PYP units. Additionally, I played an instrumental role in organizing and orchestrating the school’s sports days, ensuring they ran smoothly and provided a positive experience for all students, teachers, and parents involved.