A book I would love to write is a memoir of my life chronicling the people I have encountered and the affect they have had on my life. I have always said I would like to write a reflection of my life because I feel it would be the perfect harmony of comedy, drama and life lessons. Over the years I have experienced love, loss, and life. I have traveled and lived many different places and have encountered many different people. Each of these people have touched my life in some way even if they were only in my life for a short time. Sometimes the people I have met headline the story and other times they are just the garnish. Typically I am a very observant person and see a “story” where someone else might pass it by. One great thing is that I still keep in touch with many people I have met both near and far. I get to hear of their lives and how they have changed and grown through the years as well.

I feel that every decision I have made, every step I have taken, and every person I have met has shaped the person I have become today. It is important to remember how much my experiences have influenced me since I am shaping lives as a teacher.

My first experience with APPR was last year, my first year of teaching. My understanding is that each year teachers determine some way for their performance to as a teacher to be assessed. They can choose to be assessed using many different formats which include observations, lessons, portfolios, rubrics, student samples, projects, lesson reflections, and/or presentations. Part of the assessment is parent/student communication. One way to ensure you are fulfilling this requirement is to keep a daily communication log citing administrator, parent and student communication. These include letters/forms sent home, phone calls, emails, meetings (both formal & informal), and daily student interactions.

Teachers should be able to connect their lessons with the common core standards and prove that they used those standards within their lessons. Essentially teachers need to be able to give examples and reasons for why they are teaching what they are teaching.

As FACS teachers we do not have Standardized Tests or a common way for the State or Districts to measure our success. one way to do this is to give students a pre-test, create yearly tests within your department and create hands-on assessments. It is important to remember as FACS teachers we must be constantly promoting our programs and maintain professionalism within the classroom.

A passion is defined as “ a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept.” Using this definition as a guide than I would say my passion is to explore. I explore places new and old, near and far. I like to get to know where I am. I introduce myself slowly and meet the people, taste the food, see the sights, and live the culture. To explore a new place takes time.

Growing up in the Hudson Valley has granted me with many opportunities to explore the region which I did not take up until just recently. Exploring was always in my blood and after I graduated high school I moved to California, Italy, Rhode Island, and Switzerland until I finally was brought back to my roots. Throughout my time away from home I was able to explore more of the world using these places as a jumping off point. I explored all these places with the utmost curiosity and care. I immersed myself in the cultures and got to know each place I lived and traveled to but I was finally brought back home where I am now focusing on exploring my home.

Now that I am home again I can focus on my family and career. I use my explorations and experiences to add insight and perspective to my classroom and now I take my family with me when I go “exploring.”

Choosing a career path can be one of the hardest decisions a person can ever make, I know it was for me. I don’t feel that I was ever on a specific path, my interests were always the same but I could never determine my true “calling.” I used college as a kind of experiment at life.

I chose to move to California a go to a Community College so I could figure out what it was I wanted to do. While in California I eventually figured out that I wanted to study hospitality which made a lot of sense because I planned and staffed events already and really enjoyed it. I received my B.S in International Hotel Tourism Management from Johnson & Wales University. After what I call my sabbatical in California I was able to finish my degree and get a job in the events department at the Mohonk Mountain House.

While working at Mohonk I started to feel that I really wasn’t doing anything meaningful, very under-appreciated, and that it was just a job, not a career. I decided to take a big leap and become a teacher, which was always in the back of my mind.  I felt that to become an English or Social Studies teacher would not fit who I am, but stumbled upon the FACS program at Queens College. This program was perfect for me it combined all my interests along with my desire to educate.

I have found my career, which also happens to be something which I enjoy doing every day. This is not always the case for everyone and unfortunately some people choose a career path based on the wrong things such as money, familial obligation or some other reason. While these all might be things to consider I am glad I chose a career based on me. It is important to remember that you are working more than you are not so it should be enjoyable and worth while.