Editor’s note: To read profiles of all 2015-2016 Blackboard Awards honorees, click HERE!
Jennifer Buck
Grade 3
The Neighborhood Charter School of Harlem
Tell us about some of the special joys and challenges you’ve experienced as a teacher.
A day in the life of an educator can often be tumultuous, where one moment we are riding high upon the achievements of our students and the next we are facing down a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. Challenges that I often encounter during the day are continually adapting to the needs of our students, where I am called upon to serve a multifaceted role as an authority figure, educator, caretaker, and advocate for our scholars. Given the amazing diversity of our classroom, we are often challenged to ensure that each student achieves his or her individual benchmarks and goals. The greatest joy I experience is when I can witness the students achieve their goals, especially with the collaboration of parents and the greater school community. I love working with parents and staff in a dynamic community like Harlem, where in just a few years, I can see my own progress as an educator and the rapid development of my students into promising young people.
Please share a special project or achievement (or two) that you are particularly proud of from this year.
When the entire faculty and staff at the school work tireless hours in the classroom, often under much tension and stress, we can frequently lose sight of our purpose to make learning exciting for our kids. Instead of becoming too concerned with our own individual challenges and concerns, sometimes we need a common cause to rally around and reset our focus on what is most important. While preparing students for the state test, I thought that it would be a great idea to unite the entire staff around a common project for our students. We organized and participated in shooting a lip-dub music video, which was an amazing experience. The teachers were all incredibly enthusiastic to rally around this project for the kids, and the students knew that we were all together supporting them. To form a core of support for the students and remind them that they can achieve anything they set their mind to is the most fundamental task a teacher carries out. Our school community was able to demonstrate this through this project, which makes it so special to me.
Over the course of your career, what do you consider one or two of your greatest accomplishments?
Growing up and being educated in a smaller community in Pennsylvania, I had always been supported by a close-knit core of family and friends. During my formative years and college, my eyes were opened to many experiences and I was able to learn so much from the people around me; however, I never thrived without the support system I had created at home. I always believed, though, that you are able to truly see your inner potential by jumping into an environment that challenges you in ways you had never experienced before. Even more than any individual accolade, I would say that my greatest accomplishment thus far would be starting a life and career in New York City. Although it was a difficult transition to adapt to the teaching environment and pace of The Neighborhood Charter School in Harlem, the greatest reward that I felt was knowing that by raising the bar of what I could achieve as a teacher, I would develop so much on a professional level. Teaching in the city has transformed the way I view the practice of education. This enriching experience has opened so many doors to me and has set me on a path to excel in my career.
What drives you? What keeps you motivated and committed to being a dedicated and hard-working educator?
On my way to my classroom in the morning, I draw upon numerous sources of motivation and inspiration that fuel my desire as an educator. Walking into my classroom and seeing my students before me, eager and ready to learn, is a stable reminder of the tasks that lay in front of me. My students are at an age where they are developing socially and intellectually at an incredible pace. Seeing my students apply our lessons both inside and outside of the classroom is an indicator of their growth. My co-teacher, Bianca Nunez, is a great motivating force in our classroom. Unlike any other teacher that I have been able to work with, Bianca and I are able to feed off of each other’s energy, complementary skillset, and enthusiasm to keep the impact of our lessons high. We each have a unique style that we bring to the classroom, which augments the lessons for the students and allows each of us to expand our skillset by learning from the other.
Any special advice for parents on how they can best support their children academically at the grade level you teach? And more generally? And how they can have the most productive relationship with their children’s teacher and school?
At the third-grade level, the students are at a transitional stage of their social and academic development, which can be a trying time for both the students and their parents. Communicating with your child’s teacher on a regular basis is one of the most critical pieces of advice I could give. This ensures that parents remain updated on their child’s progress and can reinforce lessons or content the students had learned in the classroom. Additionally, I urge all parents to remain engaged with their child’s curriculum and ask for advice from the teacher on certain exercises the student could practice to master particularly challenging material.
