User:Jrayb002

 Jennifer in a nutshell...

The basics: I am 26 years old, a native of VA, a wife, and most importantly, a mother to my 7 month old daughter, Lily Grace.

Pictures: My hubby, Lee, and Lily; Me and Lily (XMAS '08)

The past: I received my bachelor's degree in Literature from The College of William and Mary and my master's in Literature from ODU.

The present: I am currently teaching 7th grade English at Southampton Middle School in the big town of Courtland, Va (yes, that was sarcasm). Although I have been asked multiple times what exactly I hit my head on that made me want to teach in a middle school, my only response is I LOVE IT! My personality clicks with this age group, and they lack just the right amount of maturity to find my sense of humor entertaining.

The future: I am still pontificating whether or not I will return to school to get my PhD in Literature or Education (education being the more practical option). I like to think that I will one day since it has been a goal of mine since I was a wee little babe.

Interests: Reading - any lit geared towards middle schoolers (hey-I have to be able to recommend books to my students); Music - yes, thank you; Movies - cheesy 80s horror flicks; TV - hello, my name is Jennifer, and I am a realityTVaholic (yes, I am ashamed)...

My Teaching Philosophy: I understand that as a teacher in the 21st century, my responsibility is to get my students to pass the SOL test (my principal would be so proud). However, I must admit that, despite the overwhelming trend to turn students into numbers, my focus as a teacher is not to simply get them to pass a test (though I completely understand that that is what my job depends on). I, on the other hand, want to bring creativity back into a field that has become all about the scores. I want to challenge my students to synthesize the material in such a way that they can relate it to thier own lives, not simply regurgitate exactly what I tell them. I simply want to encourage my students to expand themselves beyond the test taking robots they are becoming and embrace the unique, creative being that they all harbor deep within themselves.