In only a few years, Jasmine Jowers has become one of the go-to teachers on her Slidell elementary school campus.
杏吧专区淎nytime anything needs to be done for the grade level, or they have questions about something in the curriculum, I杏吧专区檓 the one they go to,杏吧专区 Jowers says. 杏吧专区淓ven beyond my grade level, any time they杏吧专区檙e looking at the whole school, they come to me because they know that I have a leadership background.杏吧专区
As a 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction graduate, and current Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership student, they know she has the skills to guide curriculum, school improvement, and strategic planning.
Born to Teach
Educators are drawn to the classroom for a number of reasons. For Jowers, that new-book smell was the first attraction.
杏吧专区淚 remember being so excited to get new school supplies,杏吧专区 she says, 杏吧专区渁nd it had to be Crayola 杏吧专区 everything had to be top-of-the-line.杏吧专区
But Jowers杏吧专区 inclination toward teaching 杏吧专区 and leading 杏吧专区 was evident from her first 杏吧专区渏ob.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淲hen I was 11 or 12, I would babysit all the time. I杏吧专区檇 create a schedule of things I wanted to do with the little kids I was working with,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淎ny time I was helping my cousins with their homework or just teaching them anything, I was just excited that from talking to me or hanging out with me they learned something new.
杏吧专区淚 just like being part of someone杏吧专区檚 success, and I thought education was a great way to do that.杏吧专区
Applying Theory to Practice
UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Specialist concentration, is offered 100% online in accelerated 8-week terms and gives graduates the opportunity to apply for an add-on endorsement from the Louisiana Department of Education.
The program provides a balance of theory and practice and was the first in the state to build instructional coaching coursework into its program.
Jowers says that hands-on collaboration was particularly useful because she hadn杏吧专区檛 begun managing her own classroom yet.
杏吧专区淲e were looking at classrooms, how they functioned, and making a plan of what we would do to further the conversation and figure out the holes in their lessons,杏吧专区 Jowers says. 杏吧专区淵ou were really focusing on what that particular classroom needed, and what that particular teacher needed to push her students further.杏吧专区
Jowers began teaching kindergarten during the final semester of her master杏吧专区檚 program and says she杏吧专区檚 been applying the knowledge she杏吧专区檚 gained since day one.
杏吧专区淭here was a (special education) class that talked about gifted and talented learners 杏吧专区 exceptional learners 杏吧专区 and that was a very useful class,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚t talked about ways you can push those higher learners so they杏吧专区檙e not being bored, and I use that now 杏吧专区 I still have that textbook.杏吧专区
Becoming an Ed.D.
In addition to her classroom duties, Jowers is also the lead teacher for her grade level, serves on the School Improvement Plan team, and is the Robotics Club sponsor.
Balancing those responsibilities along with school and family, she says, requires discipline.
杏吧专区淓ven for family functions, I have to bring my computer because I have a lot of school work to do,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淓very night I杏吧专区檓 either doing work or school work for my classes. There杏吧专区檚 not much time I can sit and relax. Even when I杏吧专区檓 on vacation, I杏吧专区檓 doing work.
杏吧专区淚 know it has to be done; I have to work on something every day.杏吧专区
Jowers杏吧专区 dedication should pay off in 2021 when she杏吧专区檚 hooded as Jasmine Jowers, Ed.D.