“Teaching is both rewarding and challenging.”
“Teaching is both rewarding and challenging,” says Jason Jordan, a future high school educator. “Every day is a challenge because you don’t know what to expect. The reward comes when a student appreciates your efforts and a positive relationship develops. It is gratifying to see students develop over time.”
This self-described “logical thinker” has always had a talent for Math and now enjoys sharing his knowledge with others in a school environment. He is currently interning at Florida High under the guidance of Ms. Patricia Casey. Of the Algebra II Honors and Geometry classes Jason is teaching he says, “Overall, it has been a good experience because Ms. Casey and I work well together, sharing our ideas.”
His academic advisor in the College of Education—Dr. Elizabeth Jakubowski—prepared him well. He says of his favorite professor, “She’s always been supportive.”
But then Jason has proved himself more than capable. He has been inducted into two national honor societies—National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Pi Lambda Theta, a society for future educators—and the international society, Golden Key. Recently, he received the Chillingworth Scholarship. Only five are awarded annually to Math and Science Education majors. The scholarship arrived none too soon for Jason, who says, “It proved to be a huge financial relief during my student teaching experience.”
To complete the community service requirements of one of his courses, Jason chose to tutor Math to students “of all ages” at the Apalachee Ridge Community Center. As the only Math tutor to students from low-income households and cultures he was unfamiliar with, Jason gained insight into how these “generally pleasant” students interacted with one another. His reward for this challenge?—”good training as a teacher.”