Government Teacher

Jesse Sclafani

I am from Burlington, Vermont. I got a Master’s Degree in History and I wasn’t sure what I would do with it.  I taught a lesson at a continuation school to see if students would appreciate what I had learned and my style of teaching and they did.  At that point, I decided to get a teaching credential and teach history at an alternative school.  I struggled in school when I was young and I am not really comfortable in big traditional high schools, so I only considered teaching at an alternative school.  I love history, so that is why I chose to teach history.  I like learning about how things were in different times.  I like learning the different reasons why the US intervened in other countries. I enjoy talking with students about topics that I find interesting.  I enjoy hanging out with open minded people.  It teaches me to be a better person, more patient and thoughtful. I have taught a lot of students about parts of history they did not know about.  I have helped students realize they can relate to many different types of people.  I have made the classroom a comfortable environment for some students who haven’t experienced that before. Anytime students share from their heart.  Whether it is their feelings about their own lives or something we learned about.  When a student speaks from their heart in the classroom it is a beautiful thing.