Where do you teach? Carter G. Woodson Academy, Fayette County
What subject(s)/grade(s) do you teach? 9-12 Special Education
How many years have you taught? 7
Why did you become a teacher? I had never thought about becoming a teacher until one of my college professors made the statement that “You’d be a good teacher”. Education was not my first choice of career, but I found myself working in another career field educating the community. I became a teacher to make a connection and a difference with students that don’t have a teacher that they can relate to.
What has been the best part of teaching that you didn’t expect when entering the profession? What I didn’t expect to get when I started teaching was a personal connection to my students that lasts beyond graduation. I’ve seen students graduate, start businesses, go to graduate school, and do great things in my short time in this career. I’ve also experienced when students have negative results in life. I wasn’t expecting to be so invested in their successes and failures. Teaching is more than just sharing knowledge, it’s about building relationships that last and mean something.
What is one thing you wish non-teachers knew about what you do? I wish that people that aren’t in the profession knew that our jobs as teachers go beyond the classroom and our content area.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as a teacher? I like to help students learn through experiences. I’ve had the chance to organize overnight college tours for students that were very engaging and informative for my students.
What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t teaching? When I’m not teaching I like to spend time with my family traveling. I enjoy being in nature either gardening, fishing, or just in general relaxing.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be? Being able to fly somewhere whenever I want to would be neat. I’d never need to buy plane tickets again and I could travel whenever I want.
Social media handles: @MrJonesCGWA (Twitter)