In September 2007 I started teaching at The Bilingual School of Monza. 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. 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.
After my first year as a PYP classroom teacher I was able to attend a “Making the PYP happen in the classroom” in Munich. I was able to develop more meaningful inquire based lessons during my second year because of the workshop and with having taught in a PYP classroom for a year. In my second year I stayed with the same class in grades 2 & 3.
For both of my years at the school I was the school’s ICT Coordinator and had developed the school-wide ICT Curriculum. I worked with the teachers and helped them integrate ICT into their lessons. I helped maintain the schools computer lab and all of the classroom computers and assisted in setting up the school’s network and computers when the school opened the Middle School in a different location. In my last year at the school I designed and maintained the school’s two websites. I also switched the school over to Google Apps which allowed for greater collaboration between staff members.
The school was a PYP candidate school and I received training both in school and out. I led a few other staff members in developing the school’s Program of Inquiry in line with the Italian National Curriculum.