We are proud to introduce our 43rd Sunday Spotlight, featuring Kristina Acevedo who is an ELA District Coach in New Jersey. An art and Harry potter enthusiast, Kristina loves incorporating art and reading into her lessons, and her classroom is full of fun decour! She likes using Edulastic to test vocabulary comprehension and spelling in her language arts classes. We enjoyed getting to know Kristina and hope you enjoy the interview too!

Kristina Acevedo

ELA District Coach
Bergen Arts & Science Charter School
Garfield, New Jersey
10 years working in education
@TeachAcevedo

“My favorite motivational idea is: Shine on! I discovered this idea a few years ago and it really just stuck with me. It started as a classroom sign-off, and ended up being integrated into our classroom culture. Each day, I would say to my students, “shine on, and have a beautiful day.” At first, I was the only one who said it. But gradually, as the year continued, I said it less and less, because the students would say it for me. They knew it wasn’t just words. It was our inspiration”

– Kristina Acevedo

Get to know Kristina Acevedo

What do you love about working in education? What motivates you?

What I love about teaching is the learning itself. It is seeing the “lightbulb moment,” where you know your kids have gained understanding. It is reading student work at midnight and smiling because they wrote some of the best papers you have ever had the pleasure of reading. It’s working toward helping my students and teachers become the best versions of themselves.

Why did you become a teacher?

I became a teacher and a coach to share my passion for reading and learning. I love helping both students and teachers set long and short-term goals, celebrate their successes, and take ownership of their learning and progress, no matter how small.

What is your “Edulastic story”?

We were working in our PLC when a colleague of mine said, “I’m using Edulastic. It is literally THE BEST!” I was feeling skeptical at the time, having used a bunch of online platforms and not finding one that had everything I was looking for. I signed up for a free account, and fell in love with all of the features, flexibility, and user-friendly features that Edulastic had to offer. I have been using it ever since!

Describe your Edulastic “aha” moment.

I wanted a platform where students could practice answering questions in a PARCC style format, or complete interactive online activities with associated questions. I also wanted a platform students could use for multiple purposes, such as stations, quizzes, and exit-tickets, and test prep.

After we logged in the first few times for stations, students were able to quickly transition and login to Edulastic with ease. I felt confident that I had found the platform I was looking for, so next I tried a vocabulary comprehension quiz. After that, we added the spelling portion to it. Students quickly discovered the “login with Google” tab, which made using Edulastic even easier. It was our “go-to” app for completing activities and quizzes. In just a minute or two, my students were logged in, working, and engaged. Behind the scenes, Edulastic graded each assignment, and gave me real-time data that created instant reteaching opportunities for struggling students.

What are your teaching/learning goals this year?

My goal for my teachers this year is to help them integrate more technology into their lessons, using platforms like Edulastic, to enhance their instructional practices and engage students in meaningful learning activities.

Sum up your teaching philosophy in a few sentences!

Outstanding teachers have passion. They have a drive that permeates both their teaching and their interactions with students on a daily basis. That passion is evident in the rapport they build with their students, the patience they exhibit when they’re frustrated, and the tireless efforts to create new, exciting ways for students to learn. They do what they love every day; they bring effective, invigorating lessons to cultivate learning and help students shine.

Favorite motivational quote:

My favorite motivational idea is: Shine on! I discovered this idea a few years ago and it really just stuck with me. It started as a classroom sign-off, and ended up being integrated into our classroom culture. Each day, I would say to my students, “shine on, and have a beautiful day.” At first, I was the only one who said it. But gradually, as the year continued, I said it less and less, because the students would say it for me. They knew it wasn’t just words. It was our inspiration; I wanted them to go forward from my room as the best versions of themselves. They are amazing when they walk in, and I wanted them to leave knowing that they are amazing wherever they go.

Tips for new Edulastic users:

If you are new to Edulastic, or even new to having students complete online activities, take it step by step. Have students complete one activity, and see how it goes. As you and your students master the Edulastic platform, slowly add in more opportunities for your students to engage in content with Edulastic. In no time, both you and your students will be Edulastic pros!

Quick Facts

Favorite Edulastic question type?

ELA Tech Enhanced: Multipart

Favorite snack while using Edulastic

Baby Carrots: crunchy like chips, but healthy and delicious

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee

Spring or Fall?

Fall

Computer?

Favorite Book:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Best tactic for getting the class quiet?

Fun call-backs. My favorite one was – Teacher – “To Infinity” Students: “AND BEYOND!”

Must- have classroom Decor:

All things Harry Potter

Kindest compliment you have received from a student or teacher?

A student once wrote me a letter and said, “You have impacted my life in so many ways….you cheered me up so many times, and made me feel like I could do the toughest of things.”

Funniest student moment?

One of my students was so excited about getting an answer correct, that he jumped up and yelled, “YES!” and accidentally flung his pencil backward, which went straight out the window. He turned around, simply puzzled, and the class just erupted in laughter.

How do you like to spend your free time?

Reading and doing Mixed Media Art

Favorite time of the school year and why:

Any time I can integrate art and reading.

Greatest accomplishment in the classroom this past year:

The greatest accomplishments in the classroom this year have come from the teachers I am working with. Watching them grow over the course of the year, and having the opportunity to sit in on some of the amazing lessons they have been teaching, has given me the opportunity to see how hard they work, how much they care, and how invested they are in student learning and success.