Rising Stars in Education: Three Future Teachers Earn Top State Honors
The student teachers from Montclair’s College for Education and Engaged Learning are recognized among New Jersey’s best for their deep commitment to education
Posted in: Biology, Our Alumni
A Reciprocal Lesson: Juliana Di Cosmo
As a student teacher assigned to the Kearny School District, Juliana Di Cosmo received a homework assignment from a student, allowing her to build a connection. The student, who was social but disengaged from the biology content she was teaching, tasked her with learning “Wheels on the Bus” in Spanish, which he’d handwritten for her. She earned an A the following day when he quizzed her.
The impact was immediate. That small interaction demonstrated that I valued his culture and was willing to meet him where he was. He became more engaged during instruction and began attending after-school tutoring.
Di Cosmo says she’s honored to be recognized for doing what she loves. “It really just solidifies that I picked the right path,” says Di Cosmo, who has accepted a job teaching 6th and 7th grade science in Woodbridge Township.