Mr. Trapani
Mr. Trapani is a middle school science and art teacher at Pearson Online Academy. He began his teaching career in 2001 and joined Pearson Online Academy in 2016. Previously, Mr. Trapani was a teacher at Connections Academy. He holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Boston College, and a master's degree in science education from University of Central Florida.
When asked about his teaching career and the benefits of online school, Mr. Trapani said:
"For as long as I remember, I've been exploring the world around me—asking questions and gathering the knowledge and tools necessary to get the answers. My interest was always in science and nature, so I pursued my degree in biology and environmental science at Boston College. There, I studied the behavior of white-tailed deer, coyote, and shorebirds. When I graduated from college, I never stopped learning and exploring the world around me. I wanted to inspire children to become life-long learners like myself and help develop the creative minds we need to solve tomorrow's problems. The way I see it, teaching is one of the best ways I have to invest in our future.
Online teaching allows me to treat students as the individuals they are meant to be. Whether it is one-on-one in a Livelesson® session, a webmail, or a phone call, I have more ways to communicate with my students than in the traditional school setting. Not only do I have more flexibility with communication, but I can also give students more flexibility with their assignments and adjust their pace according to their personal and academic needs.
What I love about working at Pearson Online Academy is having the opportunity to work with such bright, curious minds who have a passion for learning and exploring. I enjoy challenging students and being challenged because it pushes me to become a better teacher and see the world from a different perspective. The curriculum at Pearson Online Academy is challenging and it teaches students to develop many of the skills needed in the 21st century. Online students have more exposure to working with technology than most brick-and-mortar programs. They become more skilled using computer software, e-mail, researching online, and collaborating with students and teachers in virtual settings. Also, being in a program with many international students, the children have exposure to different cultures and viewpoints similar to what they will experience in the workforce.
Pearson Online Academy has a highly-qualified staff who truly cares about the success of their students and gives them the personal attention and resources needed to help reach their full potential."
Outside of school, Mr. Trapani is the director of Orlando Permaculture, a non-profit sustainability group in central Florida. He helps educate community members on how to understand and cooperate with nature in order to design resilient communities that increase abundance while enriching the lives of all plants, animals, and humans within them.
At Pearson Online Academy, I get to teach a global community of learners who will one day make a difference all over the world.
— Mr. Trapani