Hello, my name is Connor Bonelli. I am a graduate student at Adelphi University, currently pursuing my MA in Adolescence Education in Social Studies. I am currently in the final stage(s) of receiving my degree. I graduated from the University at Buffalo with a BA in History and a BA in Social Science Interdisciplinary with a Concentration in Legal Studies. My eventual goal is to garner my Ph.D. in History and/or Education. I currently am a building permanent substitute teacher at Centereach High School. I have had the opportunity to be placed in a few leave replacements in my four years of working at the school.
My original career pursuit was meant for law, as I had intentions of becoming a prosecutor. Upon completing all the necessary steps prior to law school, I reached an epiphany during my law internship that this was not the job best suited for me. So, I decided to give teaching an attempt--I was able to acquire a substitute position--it did not take long for me to realize this was something I could envision myself doing as a career.
Teaching has many logistical benefits that hold numerical values and can provide an individual with fiscal security. Besides the latter being a contributor to my career choice, there honestly are many intrinsic motivators for me. I genuinely love having the opportunity to share my knowledge about history with students. Beyond that, it allows me to pass down any wisdom and knowledge outside of the subject of history. Having the ability to be a positive influence in an adolescent's life is something that cannot be nominally calculated.
My teaching philosophy reflects the latter paragraph. The obvious, blatant goal is to have students be able to learn the historical content. But, my goal is to have the students obtain the ability to think, write, read, and analyze like a historian. This is more than just rote memorization, it is the skill of applying historical context to approach a question or a text. I also believe students should feel safe and comfortable in my classroom. It should be a space where they can grow as individuals; where there is a reciprocal relationship of respect. I believe to be an effective teacher one must be able to relate to the students; this includes understanding colloquialisms, trends, and popular interests.
One interesting fact about me is I was adopted from South Korea. I was raised in an Italian/French household. I have twin sisters who are older than me. Some of my interests include sports (football, tennis, baseball, and volleyball), music (I play the piano and the saxophone), and I love to travel. I have had the privilege of visiting Italy, France, the Czech Republic, Peru, Iceland, and Poland.
I have always found technology very interesting. Understanding computers and other things that are associated with computers is a very useful skill. Creating assignments and content that provide students with a unique way of learning and completing work is an important teaching tool. An effective use of technology can increase student engagement and student learning. I fancy myself a somewhat adept technology user and at the very least can troubleshoot most problems. However, my knowledge starts and ends there--for example, I have no capabilities in coding--I can use the most ubiquitously known productivity programs.
Having worked with special education students in two of my leave replacement jobs, and being assigned as a substitute in that area, I feel like I have a firm grasp on the ongoings that occur in that area of education. I have many special education teachers mentor me and extend their knowledge to me. For example, I understand that technology has improved the effectiveness of instruction within that area of education. Technology such as AAC devices (Augmented and Alternative Communication [devices]) has been extremely beneficial for teachers, students, and parents. However, I hope to learn in this class what other programs, devices, and technology are effective with special education instruction.