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Daniella Cozzi

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Family is my life! When I am not working in the classroom, working on schoolwork for DU, or just enjoying life, I am with my family. We are one of the closest families I know, which has both ups and downs depending on the situation. We are always in each other's business! If you ever saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you have seen a glimpse into my life (substitute Greek for Italian).

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When I am not with my family or working, I love to hang out with my friends. I also love to watch movies, read books, crochet, and do home projects. Even though I am completely faithful to Harry Potter, one of my new, favorite book-series is The Inheritance Games! If you are not an avid reader, The Inheritance Games is the perfect series to get you back into literature.

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When I reflect on myself as a learner, I think about how much I've grown over the years. Although I am the learner that benefits from visuals, movement, and a hands-on approach, I always think back to how much I retained from classes that were not as interactive. Being a student online is hard. We try our best to interact with each other and learn from each other, but the screen is our biggest limitation. Regardless of the challenges with modern-day programs, I always make the best of it and make it my goal to learn as much as possible. However, this extends beyond the virtual classroom. I love learning new things. I love learning more about the world around me. Above it all, I love sharing what I learned with my students. It helps build the rapport and trusting relationship when the students see that I am human too and that I am excited about learning.

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I am in my 4th year teaching 7th graders at Stevenson Middle School in Melrose Park. I exclusively teach ELA/Reading, which is a dream come true for me! I love books, writing, and everything that comes with that territory. Teaching how to learn and how to learn through LITERATURE is so important for this grade level. So often, I feel that middle school, especially 7th graders, are stereotyped for being moody, uncooperative, judgmental, etc. (sometimes true), but there is so much depth and kindness there as well! They're just young adults who still enjoy a piece of candy on their birthday- but don't we all?

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What is a teacher? That's what many of my students call me (over my name sometimes). A teacher is someone who cares. A teacher is someone who has high expectations. I am the teacher that gives unconditional love/patience but maintains high standards for learning. I believe that students work best in an environment where they feel safe and confident. If they do not feel they can be themselves, how can we expect them to push themselves to ask questions, make mistakes, etc.? My goal is always to create a classroom environment where that is possible. I value small group instruction, cross curricular connections, and giving students the resources they need to be successful. Once all of that is in place, I believe students can achieve more.