Joanna Giordano Smith

Adventure/Physical Education Teacher, Director Evergreen After-School Program

I come to Evergreen with a Bachelors of Arts in Elementary Education.  With my experience of teaching in the classroom, I am able to bring more academics into the world of physical education.  I consider my job to be more than a motivator to be physical; I aim to expose students to learning situations through being physical.

- A relay race may actually be a contest to create sentences with word cards. 

- An elaborate tag game may actually be a different way to add decimals.   

- A parachute game may be the “aha moment” in learning your left from your right. 

I come to Evergreen as a graduate from Warren Wilson College in Asheville.  Prior to that I attended an 81-day semester course with Colorado Outward Bound School which enabled me to have amazing leadership experience in rock climbing, canyoneering,  boating, ice climbing, skiing, winter camping, and group process.  I received a full semester of credits from that experience to my first school, Unity College in Maine.  There I studied outdoor education and was exposed to many outdoor sports for the first time. 

Somewhere in the cracks of all the mentioned stepping stones in my life I was able to work for Colorado and North Carolina Outward Bound Schools.  I have been sincerely convinced, time and time again, that Outward Bound experiences change lives. 

I have committed myself to reaching students, particularly in the mission of Outward Bound.  I am thrilled to offer adventures at Evergreen that enable students to find strength in taking risks.  I am honored to have the privilege of teaching students about their physical selves, their character, and their relationship to others. 

email:jo.smith@evergreenccs.org