Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christina Jordan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Christina, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

If you take a survey of successful people in any field, I wonder how many of them will share how a teacher influenced them to take interest in their field. I feel like I am living my life’s purpose when I chose to become a teacher. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to teach, but the impact of the teachers I had in elementary, middle, and high school solidified my decision to become an educator. I feel very blessed to have teachers who believed in me so much that they poured wisdom and love into me to bring out my best potential. They saw a light in me that helped me shine bright. I wanted to pay it forward and genuinely pour into the students I encountered in my classroom. I wanted to help my students recognize the knowledge they already possess and watch it grow! Personally, that is what it takes to be successful. Knowing and appreciating what’s already in you and believing in yourself. My response may sound corny but in my field, so many factors are very discouraging. I choose to look past it, fight to push forward, and be what is best for my students.

Christina, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I feel very blessed to walk in my purpose as a teacher. My mom can tell you that as a young child, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. Working in the field of education has its challenges but is very rewarding. The students can be very encouraging at moments when you least expect it. They are naturally curious learners which allows me to create opportunities for an engaging learning experience. I am always trying to be innovative in my approaches to learning so I can address the learning needs of my students. At the beginning of every school year, my prayer is to be what is best for my students. I like to keep them entertained but my main goal is to enhance the knowledge they already possess. I want to ensure that they are prepared for the next grade level and beyond. I encourage the students to not be afraid to make mistakes. There is a quote I have posted in my class, “Mistakes are proof that you are trying.” We can all learn from the mistakes we make in life.
I have been in education for almost 14 years. On the first day of school, I still get butterflies. This makes me laugh but it reminds me that I still care. Please understand my feeling this way is not to say other veteran teachers do not care. I know they do but speaking for myself, I have a mixture of feelings as this time approaches. I am meeting new students and I have to get to know their different personalities. I am building relationships with the students and their parents. It is a lot to digest but I handle it the best way possible. I enjoy learning about the likes and dislikes of my students. In turn, they enjoy learning who I am as a person. They leave me sweet notes expressing how they enjoy school and bring me sunflowers to see a bright smile grow across my face. My students keep me humble. They keep me grounded.
One thing I share with my students throughout the year is that I genuinely care about them and their learning. I hope that when they get frustrated with challenges in their learning, they know I will help them. If there is something they want to share for clarity or just because I will listen. When they want to tell me a joke they made up, I will laugh with them. I want them to see that I am human, I make mistakes and I am always learning.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I had to unlearn as a teacher in my early years is I do not have to teach like other teachers, I can teach like me. I will never forget a comment that was made to me at an Open House, “I hope you can teach like this teacher.” Honestly, I felt some type of way. I was questioning my abilities before the school year started. True enough, that teacher was a good teacher but I am, too. I had to unlearn how someone else’s opinion could interfere with how I viewed myself as a teacher. I did not have a point to prove to that person or others. I was going to teach like me. Fortunately, there are so many wonderful teachers with qualities that allow them to be creative in their instructional delivery. These teachers can express the right words that will create descriptive images of a moment in history or they can orchestrate voices to sing a beautiful melody. I have a lot of friends who are amazing teachers. I enjoy watching my peers in action because I learn something from them that will be helpful in an area of growth. As I observe, I am allowed to borrow an idea that may work in my classroom. I reflect on feedback to nourish my skills. All of this doesn’t matter if I don’t believe in myself.

This is a lesson that I learned and share with new teachers in the field. Be yourself!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My journey to becoming a teacher was not traditional. Originally, I wanted to be a Child Psychologist. I changed my major to Psychology and just knew that I had made the right decision. Don’t get me wrong, I am very happy with my Psychology degree but I did not feel satisfied. I explored other opportunities that allowed me to work with children and I found myself very happy in the classroom. I would listen to others compliment me on how well I performed in the classroom. After a conversation with my principal, she encouraged me to apply to a teacher prep program to become a fully certified teacher. This was a decision that I did not hesitate to make because I had been praying to find my purpose in life. Her encouragement led me to make one of the best decisions of my life. I applied and was accepted into the program. I was very excited to fulfill a lifelong dream. In my head, it would be easy. Reality hit! It was hard working a full-time job during the day and being a full-time student at night. I had deadlines to meet at work and in class. I had to learn how to manage my time and work smart. I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity of learning so much great information in the teacher program. I did have to make some sacrifices but I have no regrets. After two and a half years of juggling work and school, I completed the program. I found my strength as I managed a workload that could be overwhelming at times. I found my patience as I had to take time to complete the program. I found my joy because I felt equipped to become a great teacher.

Image Credits
Random pics from teaching