By Abby Vojtus, BEAT reporter
BRUNSWICK, OH- Everyone had that one elementary teacher that made learning easier. Rebecca Ciccozzi is one of the many teachers who have that impact on her students as she tries to make learning easier for each one of her students. Ciccozzi teaches math and science to fifth-grade students at Huntington Elementary School, located in Brunswick, Ohio.
Ciccozzi loves teaching. This is her fifth year teaching with the Brunswick City Schools. She originally was a stay-at-home mom, but when her youngest daughter went to school, she got bored. She wasn't even sure she wanted to be a teacher anymore, but when a monitor position opened up at Brunswick’s Towslee Elementary, she started working there as a helper for lunch and recess. ”Getting out of the house and getting to hang out with kids again was a dream come true,” she said.
Within a few weeks, she knew she was ready to be a teacher again. The following year, a fifth-grade teaching position opened up. She was hoping she could step into the teaching position. She was very nervous for the interview, but it all worked out. She was thrilled when she got offered the position, and then she has been teaching fifth grade ever since.
Ciccozzi wanted to be a teacher because she loves learning and thinking. She loves making connections between concepts and ideas and finding new ways to think about things. She wants other people to love learning and thinking as much as she does. She explained that if she wasn't a teacher, she would have been a scientist, engineer, or maybe even a philosopher.
Teaching is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to try it out. Ciccozzi explained that thinking of some of your teachers you have had throughout your schooling and reflecting on what they did to make your education feel meaningful can positively impact your experience as a whole.
She said that a big reward of teaching is the service that she is able to provide to her local community. Every student she teaches deserves the best education possible, and she does everything in her power to make that happen. Being a stay-at-home mom was fantastic, but there is something truly special about stepping out of your home and cherishing your local community. A big challenge she explained she faces is how much work it is. You have to juggle a lot, and she often finds herself working late into the night.
While every teacher struggles picking a favorite memory, Ciccozzi stated, “It is hard to pick one. But one that happens frequently is witnessing those 'aha’ moments. The moment when a student goes from confusion on a topic to figuring it out, you can tell. Their eyes grow bigger, they sit up taller, a smile crosses their face, and you can hear them gasp with understanding.” It is one of her absolute favorite parts of teaching.
Every single student she teaches brings something amazing to the classroom, and helping students discover just how important they are to the classroom community makes her love being a teacher even more.
Abby Vojtus, Brunswick Middle School, is one of over fifty student “backpack journalists” (grades 6-12) in the award-winning BEAT Video Program. The program, celebrating its 25th year, is sponsored by Donut Land, Plum Creek Assisted Living Community, MODA Gifts, Scripps Howard Foundation and the Brunswick Rotary Club. Go to https://www.bcsoh.org/community/new-beat-site to learn more about the Program, or visit https://thebeat.viebit.com/?folder=ALL to view videos produced by the students.
PHOTOS: Ciccozzi interacting with students.