students. This simple 15-minute activity worked like a charm. By the end of the year, Marco was “reading like a pro and was usually the first to raise his hand to volunteer.” A simple activity, but a game changer for this particular student. Over the years, she’s seen him around town, at the local pool and at school events. He never fails to call out her name and rush over to talk. He was especially proud to tell her about his impressive high school GPA and his successful career as a young adult. He has come a long way from the child hiding in a sweater all those years ago. Over the years, she has figured out the biggest key to reaching and educating children: “The first thing is, you have to love them. They have to know that you care for them and that you’re on their side.” That’s how she has been teaching for her entire career, first and foremost by loving her students and giving them a positive experience of school. Students like Marco will always stand out for Mrs. Macchiavelli, even in a field that has changed dramatically since she started teaching. She has witnessed major changes in education, from the technology explosion that brought laptops and smart phones into classrooms to the Common Core shift that is transforming schools across the country. From her classroom, she has had a front row seat to these many changes. She has noticed, for example, that the Common Core standards are asking children to master academics at younger ages than ever before. From her perspective, there are pros and cons to this shift. On the one hand, “we’re missing some things now that we used to have: more free time, more play time.” One the other hand “I see good things coming from the new math standards; I see students really applying thinking skills and understanding math concepts better. And in language arts, I see them showing evidence when they read an article and answer questions about it.” She remarks that while the shift to the Common Core was huge, overall it has been very positive for her and for her students. She also expresses great enthusiasm for another new feature at St. Jerome: the school’s STEAM program, focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics. “All of our grades now have dedicated Art classes, and this year we launched engineering in all grade levels as well. We’ve always taught these concepts, but having a new focus on them has been exciting. The kids get to do some very hands on projects – they really light up during these lessons.” The light, that spark, is as gratifying to her today as it was when she started teaching in her home land of Argentina, at the age of 23. Today, she still loves watching her students learn and grow. What’s next for Mrs. Macchiavelli? She hopes to finish her career exactly where she is now, with the 1st grade students of St. Jerome. “I’m happy every single day coming to work. I love the way I can connect with my kids. Each morning, I greet them in line and I look at their faces and I know how they are doing. I can ask them what’s going on and connect with them.” She’ll hear what a mean older brother did, or how a mom didn’t serve waffles for breakfast, or any other big or small thing that might be bothering a student. She hears it all and lets the kids know she cares. Then together, they go into that warm and welcoming classroom at the end of the hall, and they read, count, play and learn together, with one of St. Jerome’s greatest treasures at the front of the room. St Jerome Catholic School is located at 320 San Carlos Avenue, El Cerrito. Phone: (510) 525-9484. Online at stjeromecatholicschool.org.
Contra Costa Marketplace - Feb 2016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above