Jeff Thomas

IB DP English A: Language and Literature, Secondary Literature/Writing, M.S. Language Arts/Social Studies, ELL

J.Y. held her breath in anticipation. The cumulative hard work of two years in IB was at her fingertips, and in the next instant she would finally learn her senior year exam results. A seven, the highest possible mark, a score awarded only to the most skilled IB students, would exceed even her own expectations. And yet as her IB teacher, I knew she was capable of that top score. Over the course of the rigorous, two-year class, I had carefully prepared her and the other English A: Language and Literature students under my care with the skills to earn the best marks. But by IB exam week, all the teaching and learning had been completed, and it was up to them to demonstrate their higher order thinking skills without my help. J.Y. hovered the mouse over the link and clicked.

She had done it.

J.Y. earned a seven on her HL Paper 2 exam because she had been prepared to do so. As a former professional writer with a Master's degree in education, and years of certificated teaching experience, I know how to prepare students for success. Yet it is not only for top test results that I teach.

As a married teaching couple, teaching is a passion for both my wife and me. As an experienced elementary teacher, Shelley often jokes that she works way harder than some high school teachers. And in some sense, perhaps she's right.

I love my work. For the past eight years—five in middle school Language Arts and Social Studies/History, and presently three in secondary English—I honestly don't feel belabored. Once again, I love teaching. Working with students, particularly in international schools, is tremendously rewarding, invigorating, and truly fun. I'm excited about teaching.

Shelley and I are eager to take the next step, to sharpen our skills, to learn new teaching strategies, to connect with fellow educators, and to work in the best international school.

If, as Ormrod asserts in Essentials of Educational Psychology, learning is a “relatively permanent change, due to experience, either in behavior or in mental representations or associations,” then teaching is essential to the “experience” students undergo and practice within the discipline of education. In turn, that which may then be experienced by any given number of students will be uniquely and individually interpreted by each. Clearly, as educators, our challenge is to tailor these experiences into meaningful patterns that can be learned by our students in order to affect a “relatively permanent change.” How we then present the experience of education to our students will necessarily stem from our philosophy of education.

Some years ago, I had an epiphany in which I realized that everything that is known must have first been learned. In other words, I realized that all that one knows in life—from the conjugating of subject-verb agreement, to the balancing of bank statements, and even to the tying of one’s shoes—must each be taught. These must be learned. On the heels of this insight, I then realized that even some of the learned, basic skills we may all take for granted, such as, say, showing respect, require intentionality as well.

What an epiphany!

I studied intensively to become a professional educator, and am therefore highly invested in the practice of teaching others. Yet teaching is such a dynamic profession, one that belies an easy approach. First of all, however, I believe a teacher should be organized. In order to manage the many essential outcomes I want to see evidenced in the students of all of my classes, I need a solid plan. This year as in previous years, I began by mapping out all the required learning objectives and scheduling them into ten teachable units: backwards planning. After determining scope and sequence in this way, I then divided each of those units into lessons on a calendar with corresponding assignments and assessments. Like everyone, students benefit from knowing where they are going and how they are going to get there.

Secondly I believe in the power of curiosity. When students are empowered to believe that something is worth learning, and, perhaps more importantly, that they indeed harbor an intrinsic ability to learn, it then fosters an interest to know more. As a student of life-long learning myself, I know firsthand how rewarding discovery can be. When language learning is structured and inspired, the classroom becomes a community of learning where the teacher promotes a sense of discovery supported by a framework of affirmation.

Thirdly I believe in teacher-student rapport. Because I want my students to follow me to new heights in learning, I need them to trust and respect my leadership. As in a complex curriculum like the IB Language and Literature course I currently teach, the stakes are high for student success. College credits are on the line, not to mention the earning of marks high enough to earn the full IB Diploma. Trust and rapport between students and me eases the stress involved in achieving these high standards, allowing students to more easily focus on achieving their goals. 

Lastly I believe in accountability. Language learners must be held responsible for what they want and need to achieve. It is with great effort, guided practice and perseverance that students learn any content successfully. Feedback in the form of quizzes, comments, conferencing, and test scores all help to validate or redirect their learning. Both formative and summative assessments should be built into the learning plan so that students gain a realistic measure of their progress.

Learning itself can be an empowering motivator for further learning. Educators have the incredible responsibility for guiding learners onto that pathway of learning that facilitates discovery, which, in turn, produces competency. However, as educators we must never assume our students share a bias of understanding that other students may enjoy. It is our job as educators to account for a diversity of culture, race, socio-economic, and physical factors that influence learning. As educators we are also responsible to tap into the resident power of curiosity within each student, motivating them to discover the joys of learning surrounded by a community of learners. Teachers must build rapport with students as they are guided carefully yet deliberately beyond the roadblocks of fear, frustration and ambivalence. Lastly, educators must hold students accountable, proving to them and their supporters that achievement can be accomplished and that the cycle of learning will continue.

Testimonials

“Jeff arrived in August of 2011 and stepped into a recently vacated Department head position on short notice. He provided needed leadership to several inexperienced educators. He worked closely with the administration to help restructure the Intensive English program. He took a leadership role on the Environmental Committee, in support of MSA accreditation, and sponsored after school programs including the table tennis team. Jeff is well liked by his colleagues, and is an active participant in the various staff, social, events that come up throughout the year.”

—Mark Hemphill, Director of Instruction
QSI International School of Shenzhen

“His strength is in maintaining a well-disciplined classroom. He is well organized and plans ahead. He has worked hard to establish relationships with the students he works with. Jeff is a team player and will do whatever is asked of him. He graciously volunteers and assists in all the school functions, even if it is outside his work day.”

—Jacqueline Ramirez, Principal
Ellen Ochoa Middle School