Sara Accettura, St. Martin de Porres, Director of College Work Study Program Curriculum & Training
Sara, a California native, moved around quite a bit and in 2006 eventually settled in Twinsburg, which offered her easy access to Kent State University, where she was teaching at the time. Following her time at Kent State, Sara spent almost a decade in publishing. In 2014, Sara joined Teach for America and then in 2017, began teaching ELA at St. Martin until 2019, when she took her current position.
Why did you choose to participate in Teaching Cleveland?
I met Greg at a professional development and was so impressed with his vision and energy that I started checking out the website and the organization’s offerings. Not long after that, I had the opportunity to attend one of their Teaching Cleveland Institutes (TCIs) about immigration history in Cleveland and was over-the-moon excited. The entire Teaching Cleveland team is incredibly passionate, brilliant, and all-around amazing.
Has your involvement with Teaching Cleveland influenced or changed your approach to teaching?
Teaching Cleveland has not only connected me to historically important data, resources and trends of our city, but they have also taught me instructional strategies that I have used in my own classroom. For instance, in the TCI, we participated in a jigsaw activity in which groups read primary sources of immigrants who came to Cleveland. Each person contributed information in creating a composite of the immigrant experience and put it on a poster to present. It was well-organized, had fascinating content, and we had a chance to co-create a deliverable that we shared with the whole cohort. I have since used that approach in my ELA classrooms.
My students also participated in the Student Challenge, which was a year-long experience that changed my students’ thinking, exposed them to other students in their city, and strengthened our own relationship.
Was there something specific about the Teaching Cleveland Institute (TCI) or Teaching Cleveland Student Challenge (TCSC) that had the most impact on you? Why?
Everything I have participated in that was created by Teaching Cleveland, whether it was a professional development or a student challenge, has left a lasting impression on me. There is something powerful about working with like-minded educators across the city that is indescribably affirming and wonderful.
I realize I sound like a fangirl here, but anyone who has attended anything from Teaching Cleveland absolutely knows what I am talking about. I would never turn down an opportunity to engage with the amazing people of Teaching Cleveland.
How did your students react to your inclusion of Cleveland into their curriculum? Were there any “a-ha” moments?
My favorite “a-ha” moments were the rides back to school after each Student Challenge session. The conversations in the school van were simply beautiful. Students were thinking out loud, both challenging and encouraging each others’ ideas and thought processes. There was a buzzing energy in those rides that will always have a special place in my heart. I still keep in touch with the students who participated in that challenge and who have now gone on to college, and I credit that experience as a key turning point in our relationship.
Would you recommend Teaching Cleveland to your colleagues?
I would absolutely recommend Teaching Cleveland to any educator in the Cleveland area. You will not only be connected to integral content and resources, but you will get to experience top-notch instructional strategies with fellow educators. It is the kind of experience that will feed your soul!
