Pictured, from left to right: Dr. CeAndre Perry, principal; Dr. Tasha Jordan, and Ms. Emily Dolphus, assistant principal.
Each month, the community nominates their favorite teachers and educators from the St. Louis region to be the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Teacher of the Month. April’s winner is Dr. Tasha Jordan, an 8th grade science teacher at Ferguson Middle School in the Ferguson Florissant School District. Dr. Jordan received a $250 gift card courtesy of Elco-Chevrolet Cadillac.
Describe your teaching experience.
Most teachers talk about their first year being difficult. Mine wasn’t. In fact, I always say it was the easiest year I’ve had. I started in 2018 at Walnut Grove Elementary as the 6th grade writing teacher. I had the best teammates, Dr. Johnson and Ms. Thomas; my mentor, Mrs. Johnson; and a solid group of teachers that I could watch and learn from. They don’t teach you much about classroom management while in school, so I had to learn from the best! I’ve used those same strategies while integrating my own philosophy around student choice and voice in the classroom.
What is your favorite part of your classes and your students?
My favorite part of teaching – the moments I live for really – are when we are doing experiments and I see the looks of awe on students’ faces.
One day, we were learning about non-contact forces and doing stations. At one point I heard, “Wow…cool!!” This made my entire day knowing that students were having fun, engaged and learning something new and exciting to them.
I also love going on field trips. This year we traveled to two different college campuses for their STEM days. It was cool seeing students come to realize that they could be there in a few years.
My students are funny, smart and hardworking. I feel really honored to teach and learn alongside them every day.
What is your teaching style?
I consider my teaching style to be one where every student has high expectations, access to the materials they need to succeed and are truly valued each and every day. Equity, justice and inclusion are at the forefront of what I do every day.
I ask myself, “Is this what is best for my students?” If the answer is no, I reflect and adjust accordingly.
When I was in middle school, I learned science through a textbook. I don’t remember using a microscope or doing experiments in middle school. My goal for my students is to give them a “leg up” so when they go to high school and college, they feel prepared to work collaboratively, think critically and engage in skill sets that support their learning. I believe that engaging in experiments and place-based learning is a right - not a privilege - for every student. You can see this in my classroom on a daily basis.
What is your goal for your students?
My goal is for every student to know that they are loved, valued and smart. Some students come in thinking that they don’t know any science or aren’t good at it. By the end of the year, most students feel differently. They talk about the experiments, and many of them see working in science as a potential career. They know that all of the hard work and toughness is to set them up for success. Not just in middle school – but in high school and their life beyond.
How do you center equity and inclusion in your lessons to ensure all students feel like true scientists?
Every day, students are named as scientists. They hear me connecting what they are learning and doing in class to real life careers. If we are reviewing ecosystems, students are told, “Today, you are ecologists or marine biologists.” If we are doing an experiment where students need to calculate an average, students are called ‘mathematicians.’ All of these things, along with culturally sustaining pedagogy, help to foster a classroom culture where students feel that they belong.
How do you feel about being honored as Teacher of the Month?
This is a huge honor. There are many teachers in St. Louis and around the country who are deserving of this honor. I like to keep the focus on the students. There are no teachers without students and I am honored to teach the very best!
Outside of teaching, what do you like to do in your free time? Do your hobbies correlate to your teaching?
Outside of school, you can find me doing yoga, writing poetry or walking my 13-year-old chihuahua Taz. I also am in a book club and my students laugh when they hear that I spent my entire weekend reading. But I listen to them, and I’ve been hearing students ask each other to buy the same book so they can start reading together too.
Do you have any special projects or successes you can share both in and out of the classroom?
This month, I will graduate with my Doctor of Education with a focus on STEM Education from the University of Pittsburgh. I am a first-generation college student, so it is a huge honor for me. I think about this and what it says to my nieces and students that they know someone with a doctorate degree. I’m also working on a book that will highlight African-American scientists and inventors. Our students deserve to see themselves as scientists, and a book is a great way to start!
To nominate a teacher for Teacher of the Month, visit STLtoday.com/contests. Nominations accepted through Sunday, April 28.
