December 1st, 2017

Dear evaluation committee,

It is with great pleasure that I nominate Giovanna Casale for consideration for the Phyllis Shapiro Award
in recognition of her exceptional and innovative teaching methods, her devotion in the life of the school
and her tireless efforts in organizing extra-curricular activities during her third internship.

I had the pleasure of having Giovanna as my student teacher for two consecutive field experiences.
Giovanna embodies what an innovative teacher is all about. She empowers students to be creators and
risk-takers. She creates projects and activities that allow students to make choices. Giovanna adapts to
multilevel classrooms and to different learning preferences. She allows students to learn through dance,
music, art, technology, reading, writing, gaming, competitions and makes every student in her class feel
at ease. She goes out of her way to select books, music, movies, videos and activities that engage
students. She always allows flexibility in anything she does and encourages choices and variations.

During her internship, Giovanna asked students for their opinions and she only selected topics and
themes the students wanted to work with. She allowed students to work at diverse levels. She prepared
enrichment activities for advanced students and always offered extra tutorials for those who needed it.
Student learning was more effective because she created activities that suited everyones level of
learning and worked with topics that interested them. Giovanna did not have her own classroom which
may pose as a challenge for some but, as a trolley teacher, she still managed to make her lessons
inviting. Giovanna collected all the books she could gather and created our new English Book Baskets.
She carried these book baskets to class along with posters, games, pictures and technology to make
each class her own. She had different book baskets for different grade levels and found books that were
interactive and others that were best suited for visual learners so everyone had something to read.
Giovanna also used flexible seating and often held classes in different locales depending on the
students needs. She often used the computer lab and held classes outside so students were more
engaged with the material. With the small office that is allocated to us, she created an English Corner
where she decorated and incorporated a Quote of The Week poster. She teamed up with students to
create a Decorating Committee. After school and during break, the students were in charge of
decorating the corner and coloring in inspirational quotes which they changed each week. The quotes
were also relevant to current events or holidays and celebrations happening that week. In our school,
we teach children from all different backgrounds. Giovanna celebrated these differences by encouraging
acts of kindness. She gave challenges to children each week and asked them, for instance, to give one
another happy notes or smile at everyone they saw. Although she taught English as a second language,
while introducing new words she would ask students if they knew these words in different languages as
well. For instance, if she would say la gentillesse in English is kindness, can anyone say it in a different
language as well? She took the time to speak to every student to learn about them. She addressed with
confidence issues like religion, traditions and gender issues not only because it is the reality we face in
our schools but because she cared about the wellbeing of the children. She helped dispel gender
stereotypes or prejudice through conversation and by incorporating media in her lessons like Sesame
Street and Magic School Bus She carefully chose episodes that broke gender stereotypes, promoted
diversity and spoke about kindness and acceptance. She also helped with conflicts and bullying.
Giovanna always allowed cooperation in her classroom. She created many activities with the jigsaw
technique and with assigned group roles. Through them, she established an atmosphere of helping and
promoted good relations between the students. Giovanna recognized that many of our students came
from difficult backgrounds. She organized a book club for students around themes of hope, courage and
resilience. She chose books that would influence students beliefs and help them develop a growth
mindset. Through books, Giovanna wanted our students, particularly those with special needs and those
that are at-risk, to find role models and inspiration. Giovanna had a great rapport with both the staff and
the parents. She was excellent with the teachers, janitors, secretary, principal and substitute teachers.
She was always ready to help them; she took part in potluck lunches, bake sales and helped with staff
meetings. She took part in the teacher union and also had great rapport with the teachers there from
other schools. Likewise, she often communicated with parents through email, she created and sent out
a list of recommended websites and YouTube channels for children to practice their English from home
and she took part in the parent-teacher organization.

I have coached Giovanna for two internships now and I am marveled by her continuous dedication. Her
hard work and innovative efforts to make learning more tangible for everyone are outstanding. She is,
without a doubt, deserving of the Phyllis Shapiro award.

Sincerely,

Belinda Di Gioacchino