Dowling students working toward New York State Teacher Certification have the opportunity to work with experienced coordinating teachers in the area's leading school districts. They present lessons and work individually and in groups with children of all ages.It is a remarkable and rewarding experience, which often leads to a full-time teaching position. Following are some of the many student teaching success stories that unfold each semester.

Question: What do creating a business to organize students, a background in home economics and a student teaching experience have in common? The answer is Helen Dixon, a current student teacher in Mr. Bonifacio's 4th grade class in the Northport School System.
When asked to teach a lesson on making change, Helen naturally thought about using money manipulatives. At the same time, she realized that 4th graders are often a little disorganized and lose some of the pieces. With her unique background she came up with the idea of math placemats or math mats. Each child was given colored paper on which to place their manipulatives. Not surprisingly, the children loved them and the money wasn't lost. Because of the enthusiastic student response, Helen decided to refine her creation. Her next mats were laminated with interesting math information; different information for different mats written on the surface. Now when her fourth graders learn about money, they might be looking at the process for multiplication or equivalent fractions or geometry terminology.
Helen's creativity is going to serve her well as she takes her place as one of our future teachers. And it is her creativity and excellence in teaching that has made her one of our Dowling Student Teaching Success Stories.


Setting high expectations, Christine Walsh displays the outstanding qualities of a 'natural' teacher. Under the guidance of her cooperating teacher, Gina Cerulli, she has consistently challenged these 2nd graders to be actively involved in the learning process. Writing and illustrating her own book to teach scheduling with digital and analog clocks, using a Power Point presentation to reinforce the steps in creating a time-line and dressing as a scientist while children dissected raw eggs in an introductory lesson on Chick Embryology are just a few of her accomplishments. Christine's goal: "I hope that my students will leave with an appreciation of the world around them, the people in it, and a desire to better themselves".

It is trying enough for part-time student teachers to conduct a full lesson during their experience in a classroom but Alison Gallagher did so with amazing skill and fervor at Sayville High School under the influence of her very gifted cooperating teacher, Susan Hart.

Both are seen here conducting a review for an upcoming test using a beautifully designed game board for Baseball. The board was constructed totally by Alison and augmented with a 'Smart Board' for score keeping. LEARNING IS FUN in this classroom and I offer my congratulations for an outstanding effort and results.

Samuel J. Topping
Supervisor Student Teaching

He is DOWLING! His name: Napoleon "Alex" Iglesias. I have just returned from my fourth and last observation of him as his supervisor in the schools of Brentwood School District.

My first impression was that he has impeccable manners! His respect for the children and all those around him is inspiring! He lets the children know that he is there for them but they also know he has high expectations of them, including their manners.

On each visit, I have been stopped by a colleague, a principal and his cooperating teacher. Each deliver the same message: He is a phenomenal teacher and person. His lesson plans are intelligent, interactive, exciting, well-planned and developmentally appropriate. He has a passion for education. He puts that passion into action each day as he takes on the role of teacher and mentor. "Alex" Iglesias represents the best of education at Dowling!

Debora Sweet, Student of the School of Education at Dowling College, is completing a field experience at the Marrow school in Central Islip. This is a non-standard measuring lesson for second grade, explaining to students how to measure with non-standard measuring tools. Students are demonstrating where to place their measuring tools.

Michael Cipollino,seen here with cooperating teacher Loraine Seabury, uses digital environments to motivate his business class students. Upon entering his classroom, his students are surprised with PowerPoint visuals or oral representations. They include everything from beautifully displayed DO NOW's and tasks to Olympic Game theme music leading to learning subject matter in game format. Michael keeps motivation and enthusiasm at an extremely high level among his students. Learning is definitely FUN in Michael's classes at Connetquot High School.

Rita Gregorio, a senior at Dowling College, is pictured with three students from Andrew T. Morrow school. Miss Gregorio is currently student teaching in a second grade classroom of twenty students, in the Central Islip school district. The students and Miss Gregorio worked on the bulletin board in the background. The students spent a few weeks discussing, documenting and creating materials to ornament the bulletin board. -Mr. Stanley H. Opas

Margery Fey, a student teacher at the RJO School in Kings Park, did an "egg cellent" lesson with her fourth grade students. To learn about the parts of an egg, they actually dissected them. It was "egg actly" what science should be...hands on learning.
The student carefully looked at all of the parts and labeled them on their diagram as Mrs. Fey discussed what the different parts were used for in the development of the chick. Mrs. Boccio, her cooperating teacher, and Mrs. Nelson, her field supervisor, were truly pleased with her "egg periment" and feel she has the potential to become an "egg traordinary" teacher.

Meg Sheehan has been student teaching at Nassakeag Elementary School in the Three Village Central School District this semester. Meg is a registered nurse who decided to fulfill a lifelong passion for teaching children. In her sixth grade placement she has engaged the students in such exciting activities as creating plant and animal cells, a jeopardy game as a review for the New York State Math test and a Web Quest. The Web Quest is a two week intensive research project that explores the concept of adaptations and culminates in a mock press conference. Mrs. Sheehan has integrated technology in her lessons using the Smart Board, Power Point, Excel and Web Questing. Her boundless energy is apparent in every lesson and her students enthusiastically tackle each assignment. Meg Sheehan is a stellar example of a Dowling College student whose professionalism will be an asset to any school district.

In just her second experience before a third grade class in East Islip, student teacher candidate Dana Ehlich engaged her students in a cooperative learning lesson about different land forms in the United States. Above, she proudly exhibits the outcome of their efforts.

Hands on Teaching in Effect-See this Shocking Lesson!
Student teacher Mary Tsiolis prepared a shocking lesson for the third grade students in Mr. Spiros class in Northport, New York. Actually, the lesson was on static electricity which does tend to give students a charge as they learn about its many properties.
The students were actually able to see a soda can move after a balloon was electrified by being rubbed across a sweater. From there they discovered for themselves how cereal could bounce inside a plastic bag by using the power of a charged balloon. The best part of the lesson was when the students were able to huddle together in a static electricity tunnel and actually see the sparks fly.
All in all, the lesson was a positive experience for student teacher Mary and her third grade students.

Alison Laino, seen here in front of a "Smart Board" with her cooperating teacher Bryan Makarius, led by her Social Studies classes at Longwood High School with enthusiasm and effectiveness. Her skilled leadership was evident in the lively discussion and deeply thoughtful opinions expressed by her students regarding the people and events she presented to them.
Congratulations to Alison for bringing joy into the realm of reading!

Samuel J. Topping
Supervisor Student Teaching

Michael Privitera (right) with cooperating teacher Ryan Kreuder (left), who is an alumnus of Dowling College, gave new meaning to the skill of motivation. Michael and Ryan conspired to give the student at Islip Middle School the true feeling of discrimination by showing deliberate favoritism toward some of their peers with grading practices. It worked beautifully as students, who were slighted, expressed: disappointment, resentment, frustration, anger and even made threats to report the abuse. All felt better when Michael revealed the ruse but the students’ heartfelt feelings were beautifully expressed in their required essays during the latter part of the class period.

This is but one example of the outstanding teaching methodology employed by Michael during his student teaching experience.

Samuel J. Topping
Supervisor Student Teaching

From the beginning Megan Grimes (left) showed promise and by semester’s end, that promise had grown to perfection at Islip Middle School. To quote her cooperating teacher, Erica Rinear (right), “Megan has required very little assistance and her products consistently superior”. Megan attained what I refer to as, “A total classroom skills package”. Her inspirational methodology will definitely spell success for her as well as the fortunate students in her classes.

Samuel J. Topping
Supervisor Student Teaching

Christopher Tam knows how to transfer his own enthusiasm for Math to his students at Saxton Middle School in Patchogue with demonstrations by the students at the board, in groups and leading his classes in true discussion to achieve solutions. His cooperating teacher, Amy Vario, is a former student teacher at Dowling with me. She set a beautiful example for Christopher which enabled him to excel in management skills, lesson plan preparation, motivational skills and a respectful rapport with the students.

Samuel J. Topping
Supervisor Student Teaching