Ms. Terroni, one of Fort’s newest instructional support services teachers, has always wanted to be a teacher, and now that she is one, she plans to make teaching her permanent career. Ms. Terroni’s road to becoming a teacher all started when she was complimented by her seventh-grade teacher for her beautifully written poem.
“Teachers really gave me the ability to work on myself,” she said. “They lifted me up.”
Ms. Terroni first got her bachelor’s degree from Manhattanville University and her master’s degree from Bank Street College of Education. Her road to becoming a teacher, however, was not so easy. She had to attend college for five years; however, her scholarship expired before the last year, forcing her to work as a graphic designer before she could afford to return and finish her degree.
Now, Ms. Terroni is currently teaching at Fort Hamilton High School. She teaches English, as it has always been a passion of hers, and she currently teaches the ninth graders. Before Ms. Terroni came to Fort Hamilton to teach, she worked as a teacher for eighth graders. The main difference between the eighth graders and the ninth graders, according to her, is that ninth graders can be pushed more and they are more independent.
Additionally, on the weekends, Ms. Terroni teaches a painting class for young children. To her, this isn’t just a small side job but a way for her to promote creative expression in young people, which is a core fundamental value of hers and a foundational skill she believes will help them later in life. Because interpersonal skills and self-advocacy are important skills for people of all ages, she considers it important to teach students how to express themselves in healthy ways.
Ms. Terroni also believes in the value of creativity and artistic expression because they will help her connect to her students and allow her to understand her students. Even though her road to Fort Hamilton was not without its occasional bumps, she finally gets to be where she wanted to be, showing others that as long as you pursue your goals, you can achieve them.
