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Jamie, Teacher at State of California and Highlands Community Charter School : Advize Career Interview
A career journey began with psychology and detoured through Spanish before landing in a fulfilling teaching role.
Experiences in state service and a master's in English TESOL paved the way to shaping English language learners' lives, equipping them with essential communication skills.
The role demands a diverse skillset - organization, creativity, and adaptability - alongside a passion for empowering students, particularly immigrants seeking educational opportunities.
While simplifying complex concepts for adult learners presents a challenge, contributing to healthcare access and shaping the next generation provides profound satisfaction.
Success hinges on being outgoing, collaborative, and embracing the administrative aspects, seeing individuals as people first.
Aspiring educators can explore substitute teaching and teacher's aide positions to gain valuable experience and determine if this rewarding path is the right fit.
Through both academic pursuits and life experiences, learning how to connect with people will best equip a student for this career.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Jamie Carroll
Teacher
State of California and Highlands Community Charter School
UCR and CSUS
CSUS, MA: English TESOL
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Spanish & Other Languages, Psychology
Education
Education
Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
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Career Path of a Teacher in California at Highlands Community Charter School
Jamie's career path began with a psychology degree from UC Riverside, leading to a career counselor role in a middle school, before shifting to a Spanish degree from Sac State; this sparked an interest in teaching, which initially led to substitute teaching in adult education. After a long career in state service, "mentoring and coaching" reignited the "teaching bug" and prompted a return to Sac State for a master's in English TESOL, ultimately leading to a full-time teaching position after retirement from the state.
Main Responsibilities of a Teacher at Highlands Community Charter School California
Jamie's main responsibility involves taking students with "very basic English" skills and developing their abilities in all areas of the language, including reading, speaking, and writing, which requires extensive lesson planning for online instruction via Zoom. Teaching level one, Jamie's role focuses on building a foundation from alphabet knowledge to comprehensive English skills.
A Day in the Life of a Teacher at Highlands Community Charter School
Jamie, a teacher at State of California and Highlands Community Charter School, has a hybrid schedule, spending two days a week on-site preparing lessons and meeting with students, and two days teaching adults on Zoom with meetings interspersed. The remaining days are dedicated to administrative work, meetings with students or the principal, and in-service training, with Jamie noting that "some days go longer than others," but that they "enjoy all of it."
Most Important Skills For a Teacher at California's Highlands Charter School
Jamie believes that teaching requires a diverse set of skills, from "organization" and "time management" to "teaching, lesson planning, and administrative tasks," but also emphasizes the importance of "creativity" to keep students engaged, especially in a virtual environment. Furthermore, flexibility is crucial for adapting teaching methods to meet the needs of English language learners, often needing to "on a dime" devise alternative explanations for grammar concepts.
Favorite Parts Of Being A Teacher At California's Highlands Community Charter School
Jamie enjoys the opportunity to teach immigrants, "mostly women," who are eager to learn due to limited educational access in their home countries, deriving satisfaction from "empowering them" with the tools and confidence to communicate effectively in English. What is most fulfilling about Jamie's role is being able to have a positive impact in these students' lives.
Biggest Challenges Faced by a Teacher at Highlands Charter School California
Jamie's biggest challenge as a teacher at State of California and Highlands Community Charter School is "simplifying the ideas" of basic concepts like beginning reading and grammar to adult students "without insulting their intelligence." The difficulty lies in teaching kindergarten-level material to adults in a way that is accessible and engaging, not condescending.
Favorite Parts of Working in the Education Industry as a Teacher in California
Jamie finds immense satisfaction in their work, deriving pride from contributing to accessible healthcare as part of the State of California's Medicaid program, feeling integral to making healthcare available to all; Now as a teacher at Highlands Community Charter School, Jamie experiences "an inward thing," a deep pride in shaping the next generation through education.
What Type of Person Thrives in the Teaching Industry, According to a Teacher at Highlands Community Charter School
According to Jamie, successful teachers are "very outgoing, outspoken," and creative individuals who readily embrace challenges. The field fosters a warm, collaborative community where teachers share ideas freely, suggesting that those who thrive are not shy or territorial about their work.
What A Teacher For The State Of California Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Education Industry
Jamie wishes someone had emphasized the importance of administrative tasks, because "they're just as important as teaching", noting that being a teacher is not just creating lesson plans, but encompasses everything that happens in the background, such as taking attendance and following up with students. It is important to understand that there are "quite a few administrative tasks in teaching" and it is an important responsibility.
Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Teachers With the State of California
Jamie recommends that undergraduates or graduates seeking entry-level teaching positions consider "substitute teaching" to explore different grade levels and adult education to discover where their passion lies. Teacher's aide positions offer classroom experience and insight into administrative tasks, helping individuals determine if teaching is truly something "you really wanna do".
Significant Career Lesson From a Teacher in California Public Education
Jamie, a Teacher, emphasizes that the most significant lesson has been to "put people first." Whether in management roles for the state or as an educator, a better response is garnered when people feel genuinely cared for, going beyond seeing them as just "a worker be" or a "student," but as a person.
College Experiences That Helped a Teacher at State of California and Highlands Community Charter School Succeed
According to Jamie, a Teacher at State of California and Highlands Community Charter School, success wasn't due to one specific action in college, but rather to paying attention both "within [professors'] scope of teaching" and outside of it, learning from the world of academia as well as "from life [and] personal experiences" to become the best possible professional.
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