Performing before crowds and teaching students in the classroom have much in common, according to Assistant Professor Francesca Ciotoli who, as an undergraduate college student, trained as an opera singer at the Manhattan School of Music. Today, Dr. Ciotoli draws lessons from the stage and her 20-year career in education to prepare the next generation of teachers at 91爆料.
鈥淲hile the transition from performance to education may seem strange, there is a performative aspect to teaching,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 use my performing skills all the time. After all, engagement is so important for learning.鈥� In addition, she says, three criteria are essential to successful careers in both performance and education: preparation, flexibility, and reflection. 鈥淢ost of the work is done behind the scenes,鈥� she explains. 鈥淧erformance takes study and practice. This is exactly what teachers need to do.鈥�
After earning a master鈥檚 degree in education at Fordham University, Dr. Ciotoli taught elementary and middle school students in New York City public schools. Over the years, she developed a specialty in learning diversity and curriculum development. She has led workshops and penned many scholarly articles and book chapters on these topics.
Dr. Ciotoli is dedicated to continually learning and progressing in her field and her primary area of study is inclusive education. 鈥淲hile this is often thought of as education pertaining to the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classrooms, I view inclusive education more broadly鈥攁s education that is inclusive of all students and education that is centered on the whole child,鈥� she says. Dr. Ciotoli adds that educating today鈥檚 children involves a deeper understanding of their complex identities and how their cultural, physiological, psychological, intellectual, and emotional selves impact their learning and development.
Throughout her career, she has shared her expertise with peer educators as a professional development and inclusion consultant at the New York City Department of Education and Montclair State University where she also worked as an assistant professor and adjunct professor. After earning her doctorate in teacher education and development there in 2018, she joined the STAC faculty.
One of the greatest rewards of her career has been the connections she鈥檚 made with her students who continually inspire her to grow in her profession. One of them, Heba Abdou, MS 鈥�21, is now a teacher鈥檚 assistant for Special Education at St. Dominic鈥檚 School. She has fond memories of Dr. Ciotoli and the support she received from her during her college years.
鈥淒r. Ciotoli was dedicated to her students,鈥� Heba recalls. 鈥淪he took the time to meet with me one-on-one and helped me through a difficult experience during student teaching. It takes a passionate professor to convey such a deep understanding and provide an empathetic ear.鈥� 聽
Dr. Ciotoli lives with her husband, two teenage children, and two cats in northern New Jersey. When her son was diagnosed with autism, she became involved with the New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education, which supports inclusive education for all students with disabilities.
Although she ultimately chose education as her career path, music remains an important part of her daily life. Dr. Ciotoli loves the works of Giacomo Puccini and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and one of her favorite operas is Der Rosenkavalier by German composer Richard Strauss. A devoted hockey fan, she dreams of someday singing the National Anthem at a New York Rangers game.