Jessica Thimm
5th Grade Teacher
Life-Long Learner
Continuing to be a Life-Long Learner
I have always seen myself as a life-long learner. I strive on finding new strategies to use in different subject areas and trying them out in my classroom. I plan on continuing to learn and grow to help provide the best opportunities for my students and to make myself a better teacher. I feel like there are a lot of things I want to do with my future in education but all of my goals focus on helping others, students or teachers. In the future, I would like to get my certification in mathematics. I would also like to expand my understanding about supporting special education students. Lastly, I want to take a more active leadership role in my school. Overall, I feel like these future goals will help me to help others.
As crazy as it sounds, I would like to get a mathematics certification. Since starting my masters, I have become the advanced math teacher, attended multiple math trainings, and also become the mathematics lead for upper elementary at my school. I have fallen in love with teaching math! I am always looking for new ways to help my students understand the mathematics curriculum in my school. I like seeing the students using manipulatives, having productive struggle, and watching them solve open-ended questions. My views of math learning are constantly learning and growing and I feel my understanding of teaching math should be growing as well. While taking trainings every so often has been helpful, the next logical step would be committing to a master’s program where I could be certified in mathematics. Some programs I have looked into are Michigan State University’s Master of Arts in Education Science and Mathematics Education Concentration, James Madison University’s Master of Education in Mathematics, and James Madison University’s Masters of Education Mathematics Specialist. By doing this, I will become more confident in teaching math and can become a resource for other teachers in the school and district.
I am currently in my fourth year of teaching. In these few years that I have been teaching, I have gained a lot of experience with special education students specifically those on the autism spectrum and those labeled emotionally disabled. At times, I have often felt unprepared or overwhelmed in certain situations where I could have been more prepared. For example, creating and providing a crisis intervention plan for a student who has frequent outbursts. A lot of my experience has been learn as you go, where I am the type of person who likes to be prepared and organized for whatever may happen (however, I know that is not possible one hundred percent of the time.) I would love the opportunity to become more equipped to provide support for these special education students and feel confident in myself to handle these students’ needs. I have started doing this by asking a lot of questions to the administrators, guidance counselors, and special education team in my school. I plan to continue to ask questions because these people have been an amazing support to anything I may need. I also plan to consult Michael Cohen’s book, Special Education: Best Practices in Focus. I have heard great things about this book and think it would be beneficial in my journey in completing my goal in supporting special education students.
While helping my students by getting my math certification and supporting special education students, I also want to help teachers. I feel that the best way to do this would be to take an active leadership role in my school. Now that I have a few years of teaching completed, I would like be become a leader in my school. There are multiple ways in which I can achieve this goal and I have even started to complete some of these things. This year, I have become a mentor for a first year teacher. I spend time each week checking in and helping with things like completing a SMARTr goal, breaking down the Virginia Standards of Learning, or just talking through frustrating or exciting circumstances. I have also become the mathematics lead for upper elementary at my school. Right now, we keep the math closet organized with resources for teachers and plan a math night for the community. However, I want to take my position as math lead and help other teachers. To help me pursue my goal to becoming an active leader, I would like to host a professional development or attend other grade levels planning periods. I want to use my position as a leader to bring in new strategies, materials, and resources to aid in math and help teachers understand how to apply these strategies and use the materials and resources. One thing that always makes me hesitant is continuing this goal is my self-consciousness of talking with peers. Edutopia has a great article entitled The Seven Characteristics of a Good Leader that I would like to consult as a resource to provide me the confidence to become an active leader in my school.
My desire to help my students and peers work to the best of their ability is always something that is on my mind. By making future goals of getting my math certification, expanding my understanding of supporting special education students, and taking a more active leadership role in my school; I am providing myself motivation to continue my journey as a life-long learner.
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