My name is Ms. Mary Rose and I am one of the lead ELA and math instructors for pre-Kindergarten to 8th grade here at Tip-Top Brain. In my free time, I enjoy reading, running, and spending time with my family and friends. My favorite inspirational quote is by educator Rita Pierson, “Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” This deeply resonates with me as I have had teachers and professors across my academic experiences that inspired me to become a teacher. In striving to be this champion and continuing to encourage our students, we get to witness the incredible people that our students grow up to be.
My educational journey began when I was in High School as I volunteered at Camp ANCHOR which is a summer camp for children and adults with special needs. From this experience, I knew that I wanted to work with children and have the opportunity to teach children on the elementary level. I will always strive to discover, accentuate, and foster my students’ strengths, skills, and creativeness. I will constantly provide my students with opportunities to not only recognize their abilities, but demonstrate them in a way that enables them to embrace their individual strengths. My continuous goal as a teacher is to inspire my students to embrace challenges, and assure them that they are safe and cared for in the classroom.
In my Undergraduate career at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, I was enrolled in the Education program for both Childhood and Special Education on the elementary level along with majoring in Psychology. I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a certification of Childhood/Special Education 1-6. I was a member of both the Educational and Catholic Honor societies. In my time at this school, I had a role as the student coordinator of service through the Campus Ministry. In this role, we participated in service trips, midnight runs for the homeless, educational support at Leake and Watts services as well as clothing donations. Through my academic and social experiences at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, I got to engage with students through not only my student teaching experience but through the Leake and Watts services in an after-school setting. We also began a chapter of “Best Buddies” which is a nonprofit organization across NYC dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
After my time at Mount Saint Vincent, I worked as a Teaching Assistant at the Henry Viscardi School which is a nonprofit school that offers parents of children with severe physical disabilities and who often require life-sustaining medical treatment throughout the day, a traditional educational setting that provides rigorous academics and opportunities for personal growth and leadership development. After one year, I entered into the New York City Department of Education and began my role as a Special Education Teacher in 4th grade. I then attended CUNY Queens College and graduated with a Master of Arts in Literacy. I was a member of the Golden Honor Society during my time at CUNY Queens College. I chose to work towards an additional degree in Literacy as reading is a significant passion of mine. I continue to utilize the skills learned in my graduate courses and classroom experience to help foster a love of reading for all students.
I am currently a full time Special Education teacher for the New York City Department of Education and will be starting my 8th year in the classroom this September. In my time in the classroom, I have taught multiple different grade levels on the elementary level, and participated in a mathematical training called Algebra for All which strives to embrace and foster students’ strengths in Math. I have had experience teaching grades 2-5 during my time in the classroom and have worked with the most wonderful students who inspire me to be my very best in the classroom.
Tip-Top Brain has incredible, hard-working students that are excited to learn and develop their strengths across all areas. I cannot wait for the opportunity to work with wonderful students and see them grow in all areas.
