From Biology Major to Science Teacher

Michael Luppino, Class of 2016 Majored in Biology  
Before graduating from the Verrazano Honors program in 2016, I was interested in becoming a Neuroscientist after completing my BS in Biology. After performing neuroscience research, I realized it was not for me. Searching for a new plan, a friend recommended the NYC Teaching Fellows, a program where you are a full time teacher while completing a subsidized master’s degree, debt free. Although I was discouraged to apply because of its low acceptance rate, I went for it anyway and was accepted! After passing three online-standardized teaching exams, I spent four hours a day teaching students in a summer school, and also completed a condensed educationcourse at Pace University.

Staff for The Next Generation Science Magazine (May 2019)

The pressure to perform well in the summer school class was very high. I had to provide content to thirty-four rowdy students while having very little prior classroom experience. If my rating was less than a certain percentage, I could be dropped from the program.
Every day I needed to have a lesson plan prepared while also staying on top of my graduate schoolwork. Because I developed good time management skills while an undergraduate at CSI, I was able to manage my time very well.
After completing summer training I still needed to find a job, but I had no prior experience. I went on fifteen interviews across the city to find a science teacher position, and two days before the start of the school year I was hired as a middle school science teacher in the South Bronx. I enjoyed working with the students and staff, but between teaching three different science subjects, commuting four hours each day and attending graduate school two nights a week, this was the by far the hardest year of my life!
After one year, I transferred to a high school in Brooklyn where I am currently teaching Living Environment and AP Biology. I’ve had opportunities to grow professionally, where I’ve led teacher workshops and I am now leading the Living Environment team. In the two years at this school I’ve been able to mentor new teachers, participate in a Saturday English Language Learner (ELL) program, and start a science magazine titled The Next Generation.
What I am most proud of is my participation in Resilient Schools Consortium (RiSC), which is a climate resilience initiative. From the RiSC program, my school is receiving a five thousand dollar grant to purchase a greenhouse, where we will grow dune grass. This grass has properties to absorb salt water, which can be used as a natural buffer towards tidal waves. Once they are grown, we plan to plant them on the Coney Island beach to make the community more resilient towards flooding from future hurricanes. My students who participated in this nationally piloted program have received many amazing job and educational opportunities, and it has increased my involvement with the protection of the environment.
As I am entering my fourth year teaching science, I have found this field to be incredibly rewarding to be helping young people become passionate for science. I now also have the passion to lead educators and I aspire to be a school administrator. This year I plan to apply for Education Leadership programs in NYC, which grants a person a school building leader license to become an assistant principal.
I am so humbly thankful that the Teaching Fellows program has given me a career straight out of my undergraduate studies. I personally know many recent college graduates who are struggling to find work, and to those I recommend them to join the fellowship if they are interested in helping the public, but they must be prepared to put in the work.
I would like to formally thank the Verrazano Program for helping me gain the time management strategies that allowed me to survive Teaching Fellow training. The Verrazano program also gave me access to job and networking opportunities when I was a student. It is important to take advantage of resources and support provided from Verrazano. Always get your resume spruced up by the Career Office, and go to the Writing Center to fix up your personal statements and cover letters, even if you think they are perfect!
Lastly, never let anyone deter you from something you are passionate about doing. I was told repeatedly that my chances to succeed were slim, but ignoring those comments and giving it my all was the best decision I have made in my life.

RiSC Summit at Brooklyn College where my students presented resilience research to FEMA, National Wildlife Federation, and the Mayor’s Office. (June 2018)