Elise Mattaliano

Professor Suk
Education Field Experience EDUC 230-02
Fall 2015
Welcome Letter

Hello parents! My name is Elise Mattaliano and I have the honor of teaching
your children this semester! I am so excited to get to know your children, not only
as students, but as individuals. I graduated from Raritan Valley Community College
with an associates degree in Education 5-12. I have also graduated with my
Bachelors in education from Rutgers University. I have been teaching for five years,
each year, a completely new and exceptional journey.
When Im not at school, I enjoy being outdoors and spending time with my
dogs. I have a passion for art, specifically painting of any kind. I love to travel. I
have been all across the county, specifically camping along the east coast and
spending a lot of time in various national parks. I plan to travel across the globe
throughout my life, that way I can immerse myself in many different cultures and
become a better-rounded educator, and human being. I love to utilize my passion
for creativity into my curriculum. I also aspire to learn my students passions and
implore them to utilize them in their learning processes as well!
My teaching philosophy views every student that I encounter as highly
capable individuals with the potential to comprehend major concepts such as
classism, race, gender and other circumstances of inequality. My main purpose in
the class is to teach history in all of its transparency, while also using the subject as

a vehicle to connect the past with the present, by connecting the problems of the
past with patterns that are similar with contemporary problems in the world today.
Throughout the school year, your child will learn various perspectives on a
multitude of historical events, with heavy focus on the evaluation of primary
resources with the use of critical and objective thinking. We will cover a range of
topics varying from the Iroquois Native Americans and their civilization, from the
Industrial Revolution and the Enlightenment Period. Students will engage with each
other in classroom discussions in which they will debate their articulated thoughts
through research. This research time will be given to them through class and is
encouraged for them to utilize at home as well. Students will learn from a variety of
avenues including current events, short academic films, in class discussions, and
classic note taking with lectures. My classroom is arranged in a horse-shoe like
shape, with all the students desk angled around the front of the room, that way
they can engage with each other, while also being able to command the attention
towards myself when need be. The major project of the year will be for the students
to choose an issue that resonated with them the most, and they will present that
issue to the class as well as potential solutions to the issue. This can be presented
in whatever creative outlet they see fit while still meeting all the criteria.
The class will also take a field trip to Washington DC to visit the Holocaust
Memorial Museum. The students will travel throughout the museum through the
perspective of someone living in the era of World War II. The students will also be
interacting with a holocaust survivor, Tova Friedman, where she will tell her story
and the students will be able to engage with her afterwards and ask questions.

In order for the best success in this course, students are expected to bring a
few things to class.

Number two pencils

Notebook with paper
Folder to keep hand outs
And themselves

I look forward for an incredible learning year and getting to know your children
academically and personally! IF you have any questions, comments or concerns you
can reach me best at my email, elisemattaliano@gmail.com.