My name is Jessica Saporito and I am currently the EAL coordinator middle school English teacher at VIS. In the past years that I’ve been with VIS I’ve also worked as a grade 1 classroom teacher and EAL specialist for all age levels. I was born and raised in New Jersey, USA but my great grandparents were all from Sicily, hence my last name and Italian citizenship. I graduated with a degree in journalism and professional writing from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) and earned my TEFL certification from Rutgers University in order to teach abroad.
My first teaching experiences were growing up, as my parents owned a local preschool and I began working as a classroom assistant and summer camp coordinator while still in high school. After graduating university, I immediately wanted to travel and live in as many different places as I could, hoping to experience new cultures. Since then I have worked in Turkey, Poland, and Australia before moving to Rome where I worked with preschool, elementary and middle school students as both a teacher and director. Working with and teaching children has always been a passion of mine, especially when it comes to literacy and literature. To me, being able to read is having access to limitless knowledge.
Recently, I’ve settled down in Tuscia where I’ve bought a house. In my free time, I enjoy reading, yoga, cycling, creative writing, art, and sewing.