“Who Am I?”

Module 1 PresentationSPED 854

Elizabeth Lufrano

I am a Sister and a Daughter

The picture above shows me and my older brothers (Matt and Reuben) in Iowa City. My family is the most important part of my life; I talk with my

father and brothers almost every day and go to them for guidance, support, and comfort.

I am Trilingual

Good night.Buenas noches.

Boa noite.

I studied Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Florida and now speak three languages. Being trilingual has become a central part of my identity as I now use

three distinct languages to communicate with my friends, family, and co-workers.

Ancestry

• Calabrese (Italian)

• Russian

• German

I am Calabrese, Russian, and German; each flag represents part of my ancestry and the map of Italy represents the biggest cultural influence I had in my life growing up. To this day I eat Italian food at least once a day and cannoli is my favorite dessert.

I am a Hard Worker

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”—Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison here describes his failure to create a working light bulb not as a failure, but as 10,000 separate instances where he learned what would not create a working light bulb; this quote is representative of my identity because I am determined to not be stopped by my failures but to continue to push forward and learn from my mistakes.

I am a Runner

Running has been part of my life for the past 13 years, and has provided me countless opportunities to think and meditate as well as push the boundaries of my physical endurance. This photo of me running represents the part of my identity which is pensive, determined, and focused.

I am an Educator

• “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”—Dr. Seuss

• “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet”—Aristotle

The two quotes above represent for me the importance of working with students with disabilities and the benefits that education and

learning can provide. Being an educator is a central part of my identity, and as an educator I care deeply for my students and work each day to help them overcome obstacles so that they can receive

the benefits of learning.