THE ITALIAN FAIRY - NEW YORK CITY

  Reading Liz Kolb's Learning First, Technology Second reinforced a philosophy that has guided my teaching for many years: technology should support learning rather than become the focus of instruction. As The Italian Fairy®, I believe children learn best through meaningful human interaction, music, storytelling, movement, and imagination. Technology becomes valuable only when it creates authentic learning opportunities that deepen understanding and would otherwise not be possible. The lesson I designed reflects all three components of Kolb's Triple E Framework: Engagement, Enhancement, and Extension. First, it promotes Engagement because students are actively involved in communicating with real children in Italy rather than simply completing a digital assignment. They use Italian in an authentic setting by introducing themselves, singing songs, asking simple questions, and sharing aspects of their own culture. The technology is not the lesson itself; instead, it serves as a b...

As a world language educator, I selected ISTE Student Standard 7: Global Collaborator, specifically Indicator 7b, which encourages students to use collaborative technologies to work with peers, experts, and community members from different perspectives. This standard closely reflects my teaching philosophy because I believe language learning should extend far beyond memorizing vocabulary and grammar. Children learn best when language is experienced through meaningful interaction, music, movement, storytelling, dramatic play, and authentic communication with others. The learning activity is designed for Kindergarten through Grade 2 students learning Italian. Throughout the lesson, students become active participants in a musical and theatrical adventure led by The Italian Fairy. Through songs, movement, role-playing, storytelling, games, and creative dramatization, students explore colors, greetings, numbers, emotions, and simple conversational phrases in Italian. Acting out stories, si...

Hello everyone! My name is Simona Rodano, although children know me as " The Italian Fairy ". I was born in Turin, Italy, and for the past twenty years I have dedicated my career to bringing Italian language, music, theater, and culture into schools throughout New York. As the founder of Incanto Productions and the Global EDU Language Foundation,  I am committed to pursuing the mission of expanding bilingual Italian-English educational opportunities through live performances, artist residencies, bilingual curriculum, teacher workshops, and meaningful cultural exchange experiences that inspire students to become confident communicators and compassionate global citizens.  My journey has been anything but traditional. Although I earned a master's degree in Biology, my passion for music, theater, and education led me to pursue a career where I could combine the arts with language learning. That path eventually inspired me to create The Italian Fairy®, an educational character...