About Ms. Makarious

Since first grade, Danielle Makarious knew she wanted to be a teacher.

“I have always been drawn to teaching because of the extent to which I can be creative in a science field,” says the Scituate, Rhode Island native. “I also love the service aspect of teaching.”

Ms. Makarious, who holds an undergraduate degree in Secondary Education and History from the University of Rhode Island and a master’s degree in Special Education from Providence College, has been teaching for seven years and loves it.

“The absolute best part of teaching is working with students who find new ways to amaze and impress me every day,” she says. “No matter how hard I work, I always feel like I should do more. It is difficult to reconcile sometimes.

“Teaching is an experiential, learner driven process that invites students to ponder and question the world around them. Learning is a responsive, dynamic process that is most effective when it is done in a comfortable, social setting.”

The key to success, she says, is for students and their families to approach education as a collective effort in and out of school.

Ms. Makarious believes families should look for ways to incorporate classroom or homework lessons in every day life. “One of the most helpful things a parent can do is to show their child how the curriculum manifests in everything, such as their job, on the news, or even in how a building is built.“