Jennifer Wade
Personal Profile I have worked as an educator for 20 years. While a majority of my career has been as a public school kindergarten teacher in the Napa Valley, I have also taught English at the Napa Adult School, was the Lead Teacher for the Migrant Education Summer Outreach Program, taught parenting classes for summer school sessions, and was a 3rd-6th grade science teacher as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua from 2010 to 2012. My passion in teaching lies mainly in language development, early literacy, parent communication, and now innovation. It is an honor and a challenge to work with my kinder students at Shearer Elementary. I am working diligently to improve my instruction and remain current in my pedagogy. Reflection on the Program I came to the Touro University Innovative Learning Program because I felt that the students at my school required the best instructional skills and I knew I had to update my educational practices. I wanted to create an environment that put the 4 C's at the center of learning and used technology in a meaningful way. I have always tried to bring my teaching to the mind of the child, but I was not able to do this with the 21st Century child. My technology skills had to improve in order to keep my teaching engaging and current for my students. Inspiration My focus to bring mindfulness into the classroom for my students and colleagues began after reading Teaching With Poverty in Mind, by Eric Jensen. His book helped me to understand the chaotic, stressful lives that our students were experiencing. So often it did not matter what lessons I had planned for the day, my students were not able to follow directions, recall information, focus on a task, or even work together due to the effects of chronic stress in their home lives. The goal of my research and practice is to create an innovative classroom that inspires creativity and wonder. A classroom that feels safe and joyful, so that the best learning can take place.
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