Spotlight

New York State TESOL 2008 Outstanding Teacher
Donna Bove

Donna Bove

Biographical Sketch of Ms. Bove

From my early childhood I have always had a strong desire to be a teacher.  When I was a little girl, I would go in my basement, write on my small blackboard, and teach a class that existed only in my mind.  I knew that one day I would be a teacher, and the class would no longer be just a figment of my imagination.

My high school years were spent at The Mary Louis Academy where I met wonderful lifelong friends.  Two subjects that I particularly enjoyed were English and Spanish.  My love for the Spanish language propelled me to choose it for my major in college.  I attended Queens College and minored in Secondary Education with the intent of becoming a Spanish teacher.  I became an active member of the Spanish Honor Society and graduated cum laude.  Unfortunately, the teaching field was overfilled at that time.  Although I had to pursue another field, I knew that one day I would be in the classroom living my dream.  I obtained a college graduate trainee position at Kemper Insurance Company in Manhattan where I worked for 7 years.  I was an insurance underwriter and eventually became a quality control supervisor and training coordinator.  My responsibilities included coordinating orientation programs for new employees, establishing training procedures, identifying problem areas, devising solutions to those problems, and monitoring performance records of department personnel.  I was thrilled to be able to utilize my teaching skills at Kemper especially when I was provided the opportunity to teach Insurance 21 – Principles of Insurance.  Eventually, I stopped working in Manhattan to raise a family.

Years later I went to C.W. Post College to obtain a master’s degree in TESOL.  I was extremely honored when one of my professors asked me to demonstrate one of my ESL lessons to graduate students in her other classes.  In 1997 I completed my master’s program and accepted a position at Farmingdale High School.  My teaching responsibilities included two collaborative English 9 classes, a lab which prepared the ESL students for the English 9 class each day, and a resource class.

The collaborative class consisted of mainstream students, ESL students, and special education students.  It was one of the first collaborative English classes on Long Island and I was responsible for the ESL students.  I knew that it was going to be quite a challenge to make this new program a success, and I was willing to do all that I could to make it happen.  I spent countless hours trying to make the lessons come alive for my students.  I utilized many visuals and TPR strategies to make the material more comprehensible.  My students became my second family.  I made myself available to them not only by assisting them academically but also by listening to their concerns.  Some of my students had difficult lives, and I gave them the time and attention that they so truly needed and deserved.  I was touched when part of one of my ESL lab classes was videotaped and shown to the Farmingdale Board of Education.  The collaborative program was a success, and I was thrilled. 

Although I learned a great deal from my teaching experience at Farmingdale, I knew that the literature on second language learners stressed the importance of providing the young ESL learners with a strong foundation in English.  I was offered a kindergarten ESL teaching position at Pine Park Elementary School in Brentwood, and I gladly accepted it.  I only stayed in Farmingdale for a short period, but I was truly touched by the students there.  Although I was no longer a teacher in Farmingdale, one of my students who had been in my English 9 collaborative class called me when he was a senior and asked me to attend his high school graduation.  I knew that I made a positive difference in his life, and this meant more to me than words could express.

This is my eleventh year teaching in Brentwood.  I have taken numerous courses through the Long Island Institute of Professional Studies.  Brentwood offers various courses each year, and I have enjoyed taking many of these classes.  I presently have a master’s degree plus eighty-four credits and look forward to taking more courses in the near future.  I am a NYS TESOL member and find their publications both interesting and informative. 

I was an active member of the School Improvement Team at Pine Park for years and I continue to enjoy actively participating in our parent involvement committees.  Our school runs an excellent multicultural event every year, and it is a valuable learning experience for parents, students, and teachers.

I am fortunate to be working in a district that has a supportive Bilingual Department and a wonderful staff at Pine Park.  I have established a great rapport with the mainstream teachers.  We keep each other informed on the language acquisition progress of our students. 

Working with the kindergarten ESL students in Brentwood is truly a rewarding experience.  Each June it is heartwarming to witness the growth made by our ESL students.  Teaching has shown me that the feeling brought about by helping others can be compared to no other.