About Ms. Mastrogiovanni
As a child, I was not a star student, and I struggled through most of school. My educational career did not "click" until college where I began to love learning. I graduated from the College of Saint Elizabeth in 2004, where I received my B.A. in Philosophy. After teaching gymnastics for several years, I decided to continue my education and receive my teaching certificate in Elementary Education. I never expected be a teacher, but somehow I was led right into the classroom. I have been teaching in Morris Plains, New Jersey for eleven years. My Masters Degree is in Elementary Reading. I have a passion for elementary literacy and innovation in the classroom. I'm obsessed with picture books, and fostering a love of learning. I'm so excited to begin this new endeavor through the Creative Literacy Program at Mountain Way.
​
​
When I’m not teaching, I enjoy training for obstacle course races, marathon swimming, and occasionally Cross fit. I also love animals. I can't say no when it comes to taking in misfit rescues. I have two pit mixes named Finn & Huck, an orange cat named Elliot, a love bug named Benson Nugget, and a three footed cat named Munch. I also foster kittens for BARKS in Byram NJ. Along with those fur babies, I'm also a momma to six turtles, two leopard gecko, seven crested geckos, and four baby cresties. One of the crested geckos, Timber, calls the library at Mountain Way School his home. Believe it or not, I think Timber loves watching the students learn!
Meet Timber
TImber is a four year old crested gecko. He loves to munch on crickets and gecko food. He enjoys watching students read, write, and learn. Occasionally, he even comes out of his tank to say hello. When Timber first came to school, he lost his tail because the ride in the car made him nervous. His tail will never grow back, but he's still pretty adorable.
My Philosophy
My philosophy is that every child is unique and learns in their own unique way. I will strive to meet the needs of every student in my classroom through a variety programs and strategies. It is my goal to make every student feel comfortable and safe in our classroom while forming meaningful relationships with each other. Together we will create a classroom environment based on mutual respect.
About Creative Literacy
Picture Books and the Power of the Read Aloud
I strongly believe that children who are read to become amazing learners and problem solvers. Read Aloud also give students equal access to quality literature that encourages higher level thinking skills and vocabulary growth. The Creative Literacy program will allow students to engage in these stories through problem based learning activities and art integration.
Flip Grid
Flip Grid is a video platform that allows students to make video responses to content. Videos are moderated by a teacher.
The Global Read ALOUD
This will be my 5th year participating in the Global Read ALOUD. Each year books are chosen for grade levels all over the world to read together. Teachers are encourage to make connections with classrooms far and near to collaborate on projects, Skype with authors, share the experience of the books together. This year, I will facilitate the Global Read ALOUD across all grade levels at Moutnain Way.
Blogging
Blogging is a big part of the Second grade program students will blog. Second graders will use Kidblog, a safe and student friendly blog host, to create blogs each week. The links will be found on the "What's Happening in Second Grade? page. I encourage friends and family to comment on student blogs throughout the school year. This is not only a great way to connect with your child's writing, but it also give their writing purpose. Comments on their blog posts creates an audience for their writing.
