Fitchburg State’s Laura Garofoli
Teaching the Teachers of Tomorrow
By Christine R. Walsh

Everyone has his or her favorite teacher; the special person who believed in him/her, who took the extra time to explain the lesson plan in a different way. People often attribute their successes to past professors who helped them become the people they wanted to be.

But what makes a great teacher? A gift for engaging students in the classroom, a kind heart, organization and planning…all are a good start, and Laura Garofoli incorporates each one ~ and more ~ into the full course load she teaches day to day at Fitchburg State College.

But Laura Garofoli, Assistant Professor of Education, went above and beyond the call of duty; in addition to her daily course load, she created and now teaches a special course designed to make sure that future Early Childhood teachers are prepared with a deeper understanding of what is expected of them, and of what they can expect, both from the tests for certification that await them and from the students they hope to teach.

“You need to display knowledge across the board,” said Garofoli when describing the tests a pre-service teacher must take before obtaining licensure in MA. “That can be very difficult.”

Garofoli’s goal for her highly specialized teacher preparation course is to take test objectives and break them down so they are more manageable for future teachers. She typically starts each of these classes with a 30 minute recap of what the students have learned during previous classes. Next, offering a level of personal attention that is invaluable, she may help students with their study skills and assist them in discerning what skill is being measured in each section of the certification test. Towards the end of a class, Garofoli focuses on essay writing, a time during which students must integrate as much knowledge as possible into a clear and well-constructed essay.

This seems like a tall order for any professor. But Garofoli believes in her students.

“Working with pre-service teacher candidates is one of the most rewarding experiences,” said Garofoli of putting in the extra planning and teaching time her course requires. “And when I’m around an enthusiastic student, it fires me up even more. If you know me, you know I never lack in enthusiasm.”

Outside of the classroom, Garofoli adores spending time with her husband. Together, the two cook, exercise and cheer on the Boston sports teams. But even as close as they are, Garofoli sometimes likes to strike out on her own.

“I enjoy shopping and that is something that my husband definitely does not join me for,” she joked.

When she reflects on her life, Garofoli said she could not be happier.

“I love being a member of the Education faculty at FSC, and I love our students,” she said.  “The community is amazing, from administration to the students themselves. They are energetic, dedicated and insightful. They make it easy to love my job and work as hard I can for them.  There is something so wonderful about knowing that I am contributing to the development of the pre-service educators who will be out there in the field teaching all of those precious young minds one day.  It is truly an honor to be in my position.”