I began teaching in 2019 after working in Corporate America for more than 25 years. My first year as a teacher was fun; however, during the 2nd semester of the school year, the world became still. We entered into what we now know as the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot has changed in the world, including how we teach.
This site is an attempt to show you my growth as I studied Digital Learning and Leading while working on my Master's in Education at Lamar University. My thesis was about Design Thinking in the CTE classroom.
Education is what people do to you; learning is what you do to yourself.
Take a peek into my classroom and find out how I became HISD's 2019 - 2020 Secondary Beginning Teacher of the Year.
I became motivated to teach at an early age. Growing up in a single-parent household, I saw my teachers as an extended part of my family.
As a first-year teacher, I had the amazing opportunity to work in a school that was unlike any of the schools I attended during my childhood. Wisdom HS is remarkably diverse and reminds me of the years I spent working in Corporate America with people from all backgrounds, including various nationalities. I am passionate about bringing my expertise and experience from the industry and including it as a vital part of my lessons.
I believe that real-world connections allow the students to see beyond their community and bring things they may only see on television or cellphone to life. Virtual job shadowing, guest speakers, and purposeful field trips can provide this for students. We went to a food truck park after learning about the four functions of business and students creating their own “food truck business”. The field trips to both a former employer of mine and a local HEB Grocery Store allowed the students to make real-life connections as they were able to see various job opportunities not common in their community. The students were also encouraged by visits from guest speakers who talked about real-life experiences and informed the students of the importance of employability skills and how hard work and a budget can lead you to success.
During my first year as a teacher. I had the pleasure of being a floating teacher. Albeit challenging, it has allowed me to recognize qualities about myself that I was not aware of. Packing a classroom inside of a rolling briefcase beneath a small plastic container has encouraged me to increase my organizational skills and remain flexible as the classroom location may change without notice. Utilizing the tools I teach daily (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint) gives me the chance to increase my knowledge and be a more effective teacher. I also get to see many of my students as I walk the halls to my next class.
Furthermore, having to differentiate lessons on so many levels for the vast number of ELLs has been incredibly challenging. Although preparation requires extra time on the front end, I am encouraged when I see students making the connection to the lesson turning this challenge into one of the highlights of my first year as a teacher. Even with the challenges, I remain convinced that changing careers so late in life is one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Thank you for visiting my page. Please browse the menu for more information
JTSimmons Teaching Business - Proudly created with Wix.com