I am Anna Barabba, a substitute teacher, mother of 3, and student...

Works at Substitute teacher

Went to Lake Park High School

Studies Special Education at 
Dominican University

As a substitute teacher I have experienced a variety of adventures, as I like to call them.

I sub for grades ranging anywhere from Pre-Schoolers to Middle Schoolers for two different school districts, Itasca School District and Wood Dale School District.

I am a Dominican University Alumni, I graduated from Dominican in 2000, with a degree in International Business, a few years later I started my family and struggled with keeping up with the travel demands.  

I decided to stay at home with my 3 little ones.  As they got older and started school, I began substitute teaching and I finally came to the realization of what I really wanted to be when 

I grow up :) A TEACHER! Better late than never I guess.  

I am very grateful that I have the opportunity to go back to school and fulfill my dream!

On the topic of social media well... honestly, I have mixed feelings about it, as a mother and a teacher, and honestly, I do not have much experience with it... besides having a Facebook account, I am not a social media savvy person.  

I am looking forward to ways of interpreting this new phenomenon into my personal life and hopefully in the classroom one day.

A few thoughts that I do have in implementing Social Media in the classroom are;

I find it difficult at times to get students to be engaged and motivated in the classroom, so I believe that using Social Media would provide an interesting twist to keep up with trends.  Almost everyone has some type of social media account so it is a great way to communicate and keep in touch with your students and parents, share what is going on in your classroom, or even pictures of what goes on in your classroom and what it may look like (show off student's work of what they are currently working on or past activities. 

Social Media is another way for your students to provide feedback.  For example, you can ask your students what they liked or disliked about certain activities or lessons, ask them if they have any questions, comments, thoughts, or concerns about the class.