Introductions


 * Welcome to our Introductions Page!**
 * Please post a brief introduction about yourself. You may choose to include the following information:**
 * Where you're from geographically
 * Where else you've attended school
 * Where you currently work
 * What your current major is/future career goals
 * What reality TV show you'd like to be on, etc.
 * Other interesting facts about yourself

To post your introduction, click on the edit tab. Be sure to preview and save your introduction. __ Respond to at least 3 classmates by Friday, September 9th .__ Share information about what you have in common, etc. When you share your response, be sure to use a different font color and include your name. Edit the page and post your response directly below your classmate's introduction.

__Student Introductions (Name & Brief Bio)__
Sharon Harris I was born and raised in New York City, and am a product of the New York City Public Schools. I obtained undergraduate degrees from Bronx Community College (A.A.S., Medical Laboratory Technology), and Pace University (B.A., Social Science). In 2009, I enrolled in Bloomfield's Post- Baccaulereate Teacher Certification Program. This Spring I received CEAS certificates in Elementary Education specializing in Middle School Science. I was just hired to teach second grade in Plainfield. In order to meet the needs of diverse learners I am now seeking certification in Special Education. Reality TV is not my cup of tea, therefore I would not be on any reality show. I have been happily married for the past 24 years, and the mother of three sons.

Hello Sharon, I'm happy that you chose Special Education major. It takes a lot of patience when dealing with children that are disabled. I have taught Preschool Disabled for 10yrs and I would not change it for the world. Congratulation on your new position. Shondell

Sharon, I also am working for a certification in Special Education. I believe that to be the best educator you possibly can it is imperative to have the skills to reach every child in your classroom. The direction education is moving in today's society it is almost necessary to have a back ground in special education. Having this certification will help you meet the goals of every student you may encounter. It is challenging, I am currently working in a private school that only deals with special needs. My mother grew up in the Bronx until she was 15, where she moved to Teaneck, NJ. I also do not like reality TV. Not because I do not find it entertaining, but mostly because I do not believe they send a positive message for the young people of our country.

Stephen Z.

Sharon: My husband was born and raised in New York City just like you. We have been married for about 22 years and I am also a mother of 3 sons. -Sonnia E. Hi Sharon, I too desire to meet the needs of diverse learners. I am trying to differentiate classwork, homework, and lessons everyday. Good luck with your new position! CarolBono

Carol Bono I am from Bloomfield, N.J. I presently reside in Belleville, N.J. I attended Kean University where I received a BA In Elementary Ed & BA in Sociology. I have previously taught Kindergarten at Saint Peters School, in Belleville, for seven years. I then taught Fifth, Sixth, and presently teaching Kindergarten at Carteret School in Bloomfield. I have been informed that some classes may include special education students and a few of us teachers will be team teaching. I feel it is necessary to have my Special Education Certification to promote the best learning environment possible. As far as reality t.v. goes, I feel like I am on a show everyday! I have two sets of twins and they are all teenagers. My husband & I will be celebrating our 20th year of marriage this June.

Carol, It's amazing to see the spread of grade levels you have taught, but the experience I'm sure has been rewarding. While I am somewhat new to the education profession with only a few years of experience, most of which being in third grade, this year I was presented with my first inclusion class where I would be team teaching with another teacher. I was both excited and nervous at the thought of team teaching. During my time in this program I have heard such horror stories and was terrified that my experience would be added to that extensive list. While the year is still young, I can happily say that it is a great experience. My partner is new to "elementary" education. He has mostly worked with middle school level students so all of the up's and down's of elementary education is new to him but regardless, it has, so far, been successful, or in the words of my co-workers- a successful "marriage." A marriage is just what it is. Being flexible and open to new ideas and willing to share are all vital components of team teaching, in addition to a huge emphasis on open communication. Communication has been the key to our success and I do hope that you like team teaching, it has SO many benefits to it. Not only am I team teaching with my partner this year but also my "team" has decided to team plan for math since we are launching a new math program. I do hope that you enjoy team teaching as much as I do; as they say, two heads are better than one ;). -Amy

Carol, I agree with you that when working with children who have special needs the teacher needs to have the knowledge and back ground in order to meet the needs of every student. It is the responsibilty of the teacher to see that every student in your classroom has the best education available. I too feel it is necessary to get a certification in Special Education. I want to be the very best teacher I can possibly be, and in order to do that I feel that having a Special Education Certification will only increase my ability to reach all students. I wish you luck team teaching, I know that it is something many schools are trying to incorporate into their classes, especially those who have a diverse learning population. It can be challenging to share a classroom with another teacher, but as with anything new time will make the sharing of responsibilities easier. Once again I wish you luck.

Stephen Z.

Shondell Morris

Hello everyone! It's a pleasure finally getting on wikispace. I was raised in Orange, NJ and presently reside in Belleville, NJ. I attended Seton Hall University where I received my BA in Special education. I am currently attending Bloomfield College for my P-P3 Certification. I was a teacher at a Catholic school where I just found out that I was laid off. (Bummer). My future goal as a Teacher Of The Handicapped is to further my education and become more marketable. I enjoy watching old classic movies, to me the actors are legends and they put much more passion when they were acting. I'm also a single mom juggling a 16 yr old teenage and a very active 2 yr old.

Shondell, Hats off to you! Being laid off is physically and emotionally draining and I couldn't imagine being unemployed with a 16 year old and a 2 year old, a true testament to your strength. I was recently unemployed from the end of the 2009-2010 school year until March of the 2010-2011 school year and job searching became my full time job. I love how you expressed your future goals. Investing time and money into your education is the best investment you can make. That's the exact path that led me to the Special Education Program at Bloomfield, and not long after landed me my current job. Keep doing what you are doing and when you least expect it, the right opportunity will arise. I do hope that it happens sooner than later for you but be patient; I truly believe that everything happens for a reason, and this happened because a better opportunity is waiting on the other side of the door. -Amy

Hi Shondell. I live in Belleville too! I am sorry to hear of your situation. I always felt that my teaching job was not permanent when I worked at Saint Peters. The principal would often say that we are not tenured even though we have been teaching for many years. I am presently teaching in Carteret School in Bloomfield. I am not tenured and I too feel I will be a more proficient teacher if I have my Special Ed cert.My kids are 17 and 14. I can't imaging juggling a teenager, a 2 year old, school, and all the hundred of mom "duties" Carol Bono I am sorry this is highlighted! I can't seem to fix it:(

Stephen Zurawiecki

I was born in Garland, Texas. It is a small town on the North East side of Dallas. I lived there for two years where my dad's job took my family to Miami. We lived in Miami for two more years before coming to New Jersey. I have lived in North Caldwell since I was 5. I was a History major at Ramapo College. I always wanted to go into Special Education, but Ramapo did not have a program available. When I was in grade school I was one of the many people who had a learning disability. I was diagnosed with a reading and writing disability in second grade. I was one of those students who went to another class room and was always asked where I was going by other students. It is something that no one can understand unless you were in the position as a child. Even though I had a learning disability it was the work of the teachers I had in the special education department that made a difference for me as a student. By the time I was in high school I no longer required extra time on test, or had to take standardized tests in a separate room. I currently work at a special needs school in Chatham as a one to one aide with an eighteen year old autistic young man. I hope that when I receive my Special Ed. Certificate that I will be in a better position to find a full time job as a Social Studies/ Special Ed. teacher.

Stephen, It's those success stories that keep us educators in the profession. I too had a disability, ADD, inattentive type. Since I was not disruptive to the class, I fell short of my teachers radar and easily was told that I had a reading comprehension problem in addition to many others when in fact I had a hard time focusing on one task. While I wish I had a positive experience like you did, it was those teachers who neglected to acknowledge the signs of my disability that actually led me to education. As a child, there was a lot going on in my life and not a single teacher comforted me or stood up for me and since I was able to rise above and succeed on my own, I want to be able to provide students with the support they need. I currently teach inclusion and just read my student's IEP's today; I hope that I will be able to make a difference in their lives as your teachers have done for you. Not many people are able to conquer their disability, but with the proper tools and support, you are proof that it is possible. I hope that you are able to find a position too; with your passion, drive, and experience, you will be able to make a huge footprint in the lives of many. -Amy

Dear Stephen, I find your introduction interesting. It's remarkable of how you overcame your disabilities. You have mention that you are currently working with an 18 yr old with Autism and I know professionally it is difficult. Did you ever heard about "ABA" Applied Behavior Analysis. I'll tell you more about it in class. Continue to do what you do best and everything will fall into place. Shondell

Dear Stephen: What a remarkable accomplishment that you decided to become a Special Education Teacher to mentor and inspired other students that like you are faced with the challenges of facing the difficulties of dealing with a learning disability. I feel that you have a first hand understanding of the challenges that these students face, and that you can make a big difference on these students' lives. Nidieska Tobar

Stephan, My son was diagnosed with a reading and writing disability in first grade. He too often states that he does not like being "pulled out" for reading instruction. Our school has one inclusion class this year. I may be teaching an inclusion class next year. I am hoping to enrich my knowledge of exceptional children and to make a difference. Carol Bono

Dear Stephen, Sorry to hear about the surgery and your baseball dreams.I think I know how you feel, my brother played basketball for the first two years of high school before he was cut from the team. He is a freshman in college now. But still I remember his pain in his eyes.Congratulations on receiving your CEAS in social studies. and good luck with the certification. Kavya

Stephen, I find it amazing that you want to make a difference in children's lives throught special education. It is good to know that you have the gift to help children who have disabilities, not everyone can do it. -Sonnia E.

Hey Stephen: I think people like you are truly worth in a learning community because you more than anybody else understand the needs of the special education children. I would have loved for my brother to have found someone like you as his teacher. ~Maria Esperanza Gil

Hi, my name is Amy Lupardi. I am currently a 3rd Grade Teacher with the Englewood Public School District. I was born and raised in the suburbs of Norwood, New Jersey where I continue to reside at the moment; making for a very short commute to work but a decently long commute to Bloomfield. My educational journey began at Hofstra University where I received a B.A. in Early Childhood and Childhood Education and a B.A. in History. During my time at Hofstra University I was the Undergraduate President of our ASCD chapter as well as a member of both Kappa Delta Pi and Phi Alpha Theta. In addition to my professional affiliations, I hold certifications in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education in both New York and New Jersey and Teacher of the Handicap in New Jersey. <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 80%;">Upon graduation I accepted a job as a paraprofessional with the Harrington Park School District in Harrington Park, New Jersey. I spent two great years with the district before I was laid off due to a massive reduction in force. After an abundance of unsuccessful job seeking opportunities, I decided to continue my education where I enrolled in this Special Education Certification Program. Not only did I believe that this program would open additional doors but due to the new law stating that students should be taught in the least restrictive environment, special education students are frequently found within the parameters of our general education classrooms. This course will be my last class before I have completed the program in entirety. Upon completion I plan on continuing to further my education by attending Ramapo College where I plan to be working towards my Masters in Educational Technology.Not only would I consider myself a lifelong learner, but the educational system is forever growing and changing and there is no excuse for taking the back seat. The day I no longer want to develop myself, is the day I know I need to leave the educational field. <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 80%;">Education aside, reality television is a guilty pleasure. I am a strong believer that it is shaping our young minds for the worse, but for myself, I like to get my daily dose of drama through the television and let it take a back seat in my “real life.” If I had to be on a reality show I would probably be on a show like Big Brother. While I would probably crack under the dramatic pressures, I have a competitive soul. I am hardworking and am able to think out situations before they happen. <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 80%;">Overall, I am very family orientated and dedicated. I have a very loving and supportive family who have all helped shape me into the person I am today. I am not yet married nor do I have any children but I do have a dog who I adore and talk about with my students endlessly; Rambo. He is a 3 year old Yorkshire Terrier who thinks he’s a 85 pound pit-bull. <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 80%;">Each journey helps shape the person we are today so I look forward to seeing how this class shapes me as a person and an educator.

Dear Amy, I am impress with all of your professional certification. Reading your introduction, I can see you are a very passionate about your job and career. I've never knew that there was a Masters Program for Educational Technology. This program seems interesting to me even though I am not a computer literate person. My family was also my backbone during my school years and they continue to support me. I have received the email that you send me. Thank you Shondell Morris

<span style="color: #1daedd; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">Dear Amy: <span style="color: #1daedd; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">I like the way you talk about your family, I am a very family orientated too. Besides that I totally agree with you when you express that a great educator should be a lifelong learner. The only thing that my eyes did not really enjoy about your writing was your small font, hahaha. <span style="color: #1daedd; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">~Maria Esperanza Gil.

Dear Amy, I like the point about how educators are lifelong learners. As long as we keep learning we will improve our methods and resources for teaching. After all your accomplishments next in line is your degree, master's degree in educational technology that is great. I truly believe that technology can help to educate students Since even my 3 year old nephew operates his dad's iphone very comfortably to locate songs and play videos. It can also be a useful tool for teachers. Kavya

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 80%;">Dear A ﻿<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 10px; line-height: 15px;">my: I also share your passion for learning as I have also being a lifelong learner myself, and truly believe that by continuing to further our education we stay up to date on the ever changing educational system, and we are better prepared to teach our students. Nidieska Tobar

I was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, and arrived in the United States on March 1995. I graduated from University of Havana in 1986 with a degree in Economics. Later, I attended Kean University where I graduated in 2005 with a BA in Spanish. Additionally, I attended the University of Salamanca in Spain where I graduated in 2006 with a Master’s degree in Language and Culture in Spanish Language, and the University of Granada, Spain where I graduated in 2008 with a Master’s degree in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language. I have standard teaching certifications in: Special Education and Spanish and a Certificate of Eligibility on K thru 3rd Grade. I have been a Spanish Teacher at the Elizabeth Board of Education for 5 years where I have been teaching different grades. Currently I will start the new school year as a 2nd grade teacher, and would like to expand my knowledge and become more prepared for this new challenge. So, I feel that this class will be an excellent resource to prepare me for my new assignment. My favorite reality TV show is: “The Amazing Race” as I truly enjoy traveling, and the show takes you into a journey through other countries and their cultures. In my spare time I also enjoy going to the movies, and Broadway theaters.
 * Nidieska Tobar **

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Nidieska, <span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You graduated with the same mayor as me.I also relate to you in the area of work, we are both working for the Elizabeth Board of Education. Like you, I also love to travel to different places and learn and enjoy the culture of where I visit. <span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Sonnia E.

<span style="color: #1daedd; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Dear Nadieska: <span style="color: #1daedd; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Besides Kean. Salamanca. the Spanish certification, working for the Elizabeth Board of Ed., and pursuing the present certification of P3, we have more things in common. You said you liked to travel and so do I. Your great sense of responsibility makes you a very strong worker, but definitely the thing that I admire the most about you is your passion for knowledge and your desire to become a great teacher. <span style="color: #1daedd; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">~Maria Esperanza Gil

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Nadieska, <span style="color: #008080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">It is amazing that you have had such a rich educational back ground. I was never able to study in other countries, because I played sports in college. I have only been out of the country a few times. The first was when I went to the Bahamas after graduating high school. The second time I left the country was to visit Europe. I went to The Netherlands and England on a two week vacation with my sister. I would love to go to Spain some day soon and visit Barcelona, Madrid and Sevilla. It will be a challenge going into your new position as a 2nd grade teacher, continuing your education is the best way to help you deal with any challenges you may face. Good luck this year.

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Stephen Z.

Dear Nidieska, This past Spring I went to Spain and also took a lot of pictures. Spain was beautiful and the weather was wonderful. I went to Malaga, Ronda and loved Gaudi's Barcelona. Which part of Spain did you visit? Kavya

**Kavya Nagalingam**
<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 90%;">I grew up in New Jersey all my life.I attended public school for twelve years.Right now I reside in Mercer County, where I completed my B.A. in Psychology and Health Care Administration from Rider University. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 90%;">While completing my B.A., I worked with third and fourth grades in a private school for learning disability students, as a Teacher Assistant.Also, during the summer, I worked as a Teacher Assistant with a Reading Specialist for kindergarten and first grade students. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 90%;">I am passionate about helping children with their study skills, social skills and reading. After completing my Early Childhood P-3 certification, I would like to do my Special Education certification as well. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 90%;">I like to do oil painting mostly landscapes. I attended a private After School Arts program when I was in school. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 90%;">Photography is one of my current hobbies. I like to shoot both landscape and portraits. I like to create slide shows and movies with my photos using Both Windows and Mac software. At Rider University I was the historian (photographer) for the South Asian club. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 90%;">Watching television is my favorite way to relax like everyone else, besides internet. Oprah’s show was top in my list, food network, HGTV will follow in that list.

Dear Kavya: Like you, I also enjoy photography, and specially taking pictures of different sites and landscapes. On my recent trip to Spain I took over 500 pictures of many historic sites, and interesting and unique landscapings as each region in Spain has its own special beauty, and enchantment. I also find televion to be a fun and relaxing activity, but my favorite shows are mostly in the drama and comedy genre. Among some of my favorites are: "The Good Wife", "Desperate Housewives", and "Two and a Half Men". Nidieska Tobar <span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** SONNIA ESTREMERA **

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Hello, my name is Sonnia E. I am originally from Ecuador and I have been living in this country for 20 years. I have a bachelor’s degree in business administration in Ecuador. Here I attended Kean University for 4 years. I worked in different jobs such as in a hotel Lobby as an attendant for 4 years, as an ERA Associate of real-estate, in a bank, as a substitute, and as a pre-K teacher assistant. Now I work for the Elizabeth Board of Education as a pre-K teacher. My current career goal is to earn my P3 certification so I can continue to work as a pre-school teacher. If I could be in any show I would choose American Idol. I consider myself an honest, kind-hearted, responsible, and careful person. I am married and have two boys and a beautiful granddaughter.

**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Maria Esperanza Gil **
<span style="color: #1daedd; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Hello everybody, I am Maria Esperanza Gil. I was born in Bogota, the capital of Colombia. I got my bachelor degree in education in 1997 in Colombia, there I worked as an administrator and teacher for a Catholic school for 3 years. I came to the USA in February 2000, in order to continue my educational career. I completed the credits required to get my Spanish teacher certification K-8 at **__Kean University__** in the fall of 2004. I also attended **__Rutgers University’s__** ESL Pal Program in 2005. In 2007 and 2008, I went to **__University of Salamanca__** where I completed my masters in Spanish Language and Culture.

<span style="color: #1daedd; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">What I currently work for the Elizabeth Board of Education as a pre-school assistant. My immediate goal is to complete my P3 certification so that I can become a pre-school teacher. The tv show that I would love to be part of is” Extreme Home Make Over.” I love the way that a very enthusiastic and talented team use their skills and energy to transform peoples lives by given them hope and comfort as they built them new home. <span style="color: #1daedd; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">It is remarkable the way the team involves the whole community to complete their mission. <span style="color: #1daedd; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">An interesting fact is that after my High school graduation I worked as a fly attendant for the international airline of my country named AVIANCA .This part of my life was awesome, I learned a lot of things specially to value the enrichment of the culture diversity. My most recent interesting fact is that my youngest daughter got a scholarship to attend **__Harvard University__** this fall.