Jen Hohmann, TAC, High School Mathematics

THE FACTS: After graduating from the University of Michigan in 2000 with a degree in math and economics, Jennifer took a job working as an economic analyst for the Federal Reserve in Washington, DC. "The idea of teaching had always been in the back of my mind, but I never thought I'd leave the business track to pursue it." As a way of satisfying her desire to work with young people, Jennifer helped to tutor local students through the Higher Achievement Program of Washington, DC, and coordinated a youth group featuring seventh and eighth graders. "What I was yearning for, and what I found in all of my outside work, was a sense of satisfaction through challenge."

Jen left DC and joined the Teacher Education Program where she is working to become a high school math teacher. "My summer experience at the Cambridge-Harvard Summer Academy and my current work at Boston English High School have reinforced the idea that teaching will be far from easy. But these experiences have also shown me that it will be worth it. HGSE has opened my eyes to the variety of new and innovative teaching practices and strategies that are now in use. It has been a wonderful change to be surrounded by talented, intelligent and enthusiastic individuals who share my love and passion for kids and teaching, and who also respect and value the profession as much as I do."

THE INSIDE SCOOP: "Both of my mentor teachers (in the summer program, and at my school site) have been nothing less than fantastic. And they are also as different as night and day. Each has shown me that everyone can and must have their own approach to teaching. There is no right or wrong, but rather everyone has a style and that works best for them. The common theme that I have seen is that the best way to be a successful teacher and really make a difference is to connect with the students on a personal level. Once you do that, teaching them the academics is that much easier."

"Team teaching this summer was a great way to ease into the field of education. I had a fantastic group of four other interns and a veteran mentor teacher who was not afraid to let us take the reigns early, so we did. From day one, the four of us were running the classroom. We had thirty kids who did not want to be in summer school, and certainly did not want to be taking geometry. But, we set a goal at the beginning that we would do whatever it took to help all our students pass. And we did. It meant many hours of planning, grading, and lesson designing. It meant phone calls, meeting outside of class, talking with other teachers, the school principal, etc. But getting to know our students on a personal level was the best way to reach them. They knew we cared. We were far from perfect as it was our first time teaching, but that did not matter. The students knew we were putting everything we had into helping them get through the experience."