By Emmanuel Johnson 

Galileo has a new face this year: Mrs. Medford. She has been teaching for 15 years, and before she came here, she worked as a principal, a children's minister, and a teacher at schools in Virginia, Texas, and South Carolina.

Mrs. Medford says she enjoys teaching her subjects because “I believe that history and social topics have a relationship with life, and it is always connected to life.” She came to Galileo after hearing the good things about the school and the community, and she had decided to return to education after her daughter went off to college. So far, she has been enjoying the atmosphere here.

“[It's] really good. [I] love the teachers and the staff here; [I] feel like the students are great - they want to learn and encourage each other"

Now, outside of school, Mrs. Medford likes to play tennis, read, and sing, but she also loves to travel.  She took a trip to Scotland in February, where she visited the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

“I enjoyed seeing historical sites that I have often taught about. For example, I visited the Edinburgh Castle which was used as a fortress through World War I. They still shoot a cannon (blanks) at the castle every day at 1pm! “ And she also traveled to Bolivia in April, where she visited a nature park.

When Mrs. Medford visited Bolivia, she aided in a mission trip. “We served at a school and orphanage while there. I also led teacher training sessions while I was there. My husband will return in October to teach at the Seminary there.”

Mrs. Medford really values people lifting each other up, supporting each other, and helping everyone improve, even if it may be difficult. If she could give her 18 year old self advice she would say: "Don't be in a rush, and enjoy where you’re at”. 

By Lesley Iraheta

Mrs. Jenkins-Mckane, one of our new teachers, has had an interesting journey from Jamaica to America. Her experiences growing up and teaching in Jamaica, her decision to move to America, and the differences between teaching in Jamaica and America have shaped her life and career as an educator.

Growing up and teaching in Jamaica was a meaningful experience for Mrs. Jenkins-Mckane. She explained that Jamaica has a strong sense of community and that education is highly valued. She enjoyed teaching there because she loved building relationships with her students and helping them understand that they are capable of more than they sometimes believe. Her experiences in Jamaica helped shape her into the teacher she is today.

Mckane was inspired to come to the United States because she wanted to challenge herself, grow professionally, and experience education from a different perspective. Moving to the US gave her the opportunity to meet new people and expand her teaching experience. Although it was a major decision, she viewed it as an opportunity to grow both professionally and personally.

One of the things she misses most about Jamaica is her family. She also misses the food, culture, and feeling of being home. She said she misses the warmth of the people and the strong sense of community. She explained that there are certain things you do not fully appreciate until you are away from them, such as being able to enjoy Jamaican food whenever you want or being surrounded by people who understand your culture without having to explain it.

She is from St. Ann, Jamaica, also known as the Garden Parish. St. Ann is known for its beautiful scenery, beaches, greenery, and history. She is very proud to call St. Ann home.

Outside of school, Mrs. Jenkins enjoys singing, watching African and Korean movies, spending time with family and friends, listening to music, exploring nature, and relaxing. She also enjoys learning about different cultures and trying new things. After spending so much time focused on teaching, she believes it is important to make time to enjoy life and recharge.

Another big difference she noticed after moving to America is the weather. Jamaica is warm and tropical, while America experiences all four seasons. She said that getting used to the cold weather was definitely an adjustment. She misses the warmth of Jamaica, especially when the temperatures drop here.

When asked how she thinks American students compare with students in Jamaica, she said that "students are students wherever you go. There are respectful students, energetic students, quiet students, and students who like to test boundaries." However, she noticed that the teacher-student relationship in Jamaica tends to be more formal, while in America it is often more casual. Although this was an adjustment for her, it has helped her learn how to connect with students in different ways.

When it comes to school resources, Mrs. Jenkins believes American schools generally have more technology, instructional resources, and opportunities for students. She appreciates having these resources because they allow teachers to create different and engaging learning experiences. At the same time, she misses some of the structure and academic discipline she experienced in Jamaica. She believes the best school environment would combine the resources and opportunities available in America with the strong expectations, structure, and respect for learning that she experienced in Jamaica.

When asked what advice she would give to another teacher who is making a big move. Her biggest suggestion was to give yourself time to adjust. Moving to a new place can be exciting, but it can also be difficult when you miss what is familiar. She encouraged teachers to ask questions, meet new people, and learn from the culture around them. Most importantly, she said not to lose the parts of yourself that make you who you are.

Her story shows that moving from Jamaica to America was not just a change in location; it was also an opportunity to grow, learn, and become an even better teacher while staying connected to where she came from.

By Naureen Rashid

For most students, English is a subject that involves analyzing texts and reading various forms of literature, a task that is not that enjoyable for many. However, for Ms. Davis, it was a part of school she looked forward to. 

Instead of seeing writing essays and reading novels as homework, Ms. Davis found it as a fun activity and enjoyed connecting various texts to real life. Now, she’s a student at Averett University, studying hard to become an English teacher and shaping the minds of today. She hopes to make her future students realize that learning can be more than piles of tedious and repetitive work.

Ms. Davis’ love for English is one of the reasons why she chose to teach. Right now, she wants to teach high school students grades 9-12th, and hopes to find a teaching job somewhere close to home after college. After that, she plans to earn her master’s degree in English. Even though she wasn’t always completely sure about her career path, she eventually found her place in the classroom. “When I come into the classroom, even when it’s not my classroom, it’s such a comfortable feeling, like slipping into a coat,” she said. “When you get to that point with something you really love and it’s like a second nature, I think that’s when you know what you want your career to be.” 

Ms. Davis’ decision to teach was also influenced by the role she took among her classmates. She was often the person students would approach when they needed help understanding something. “There’s also just something about helping someone make a new connection and discover something new that they like, or when anyone I’ve tutored has that moment where they went ‘oh, I get it now.’” For Ms. Davis, that’s something that makes teaching worthwhile. “If I can make people love English just as much as I love it, or if I can make a student have that spark go off, then that’s the best part of teaching.”

Ms. Davis’ vision for teaching is much more than explaining grammar and analyzing literature, she also wants the classroom to be a place where students can learn in ways that work for them. She’s noticed that not every student learns well in the same environment. Sometimes students need to fidget or keep their hands busy to concentrate better, while some might need things explained slowly. “I want it to be so that every student is able to get the information that they need, but also make the student feel safe and make them feel that the teacher respects them even if they don’t get along.”

English may be Ms. Davis’ favorite subject, but literature isn't the only thing she spends her time on. She writes, crochet, and even plays music. She’s even writing a book on her own. The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world in which people live in bunkers. However, there’s this huge secret that’s about to endanger the whole bunker, and everything begins to unravel. Her creativity doesn’t just stop with writing, she even plays the trombone, and has been doing so since 5th grade and continues to play today. Jazz is Ms. Davis’ preferred genre of choice because, in her own words, it’s “weird and funky and fun.” However, when she’s listening to music, video game music is her go-to, especially music from old games.

For students preparing to leave high school, and enter college, Ms. Davis advises people to know how to cook, clean and wash your clothes, and most importantly, not to isolate yourself. She encourages freshmen in college to join clubs and organizations as soon as possible, since college can be overwhelming and intimidating for some. “Freshmen in college tend to isolate since it’s a brand new space and you don’t know anyone,” she said. “But the sooner you hop into different social events on your campus, the more comfortable you get.”

If Ms. Davis could change one thing about the current school system, it would be to reduce the emphasis placed on state-mandated tests such as AP tests and the SAT. She believes that the scores on these tests don’t always tell the full story of a student. A score that looks low on paper may actually be a big achievement for a certain student. “I feel like sometimes it puts a lot of pressure on both teachers and students to get a certain score when that score may not accurately reflect your student population,” she said. Ms. Davis worries that a big focus on testing can change the purpose of education. Instead of encouraging students to be interested in what they’re learning, school can sometimes feel like a race to quickly memorize the material you need to know for a test. “Sometimes it feels like you’re not here to learn,” she said, “but more like you need to learn this instead of ‘let’s learn this because it’s going to help you in life or it’s going to be interesting and you’re going to be engaged.”

For Ms. Davis, English was never about getting homework done, it was about discovering connections and experiencing that moment when everything finally clicks. Now, she hopes to build a classroom where her future students can experience that same moment. Because for Ms. Davis, teaching English isn't just about assigning homework, it’s about helping someone discover why learning is worth it in the first place.

By Lesley Iraheta

Our new Spanish teacher, Mr. Pardo, is originally from Bogotá, Colombia. Since moving to the United States, he has enjoyed experiencing a new culture while also sharing his own with his students.

One of the things Mr. Pardo misses most about Colombia is the cold weather, mountains, and riding his motorcycle. He also misses Colombian food, especially cazuela de mariscos, fresh fruit, bread, cookies, and high-quality Colombian coffee. Some of his favorite traditions include drinking coffee from the Eje Cafetero and playing board games with his family.

When Mr. Pardo first arrived in America, he noticed how kind people were and how organized everything seemed. He also noticed some interesting differences between the two countries. In Colombia, buildings and houses are usually closer together, while there is more space between them in the United States. He also noticed differences in schools and restaurants, such as students moving between classrooms and the way restaurant payments are handled.

One of the hardest parts of moving was giving up some of the independence he had in Colombia. He had both a car and a motorcycle, but here he sometimes has to ask people for rides while saving for his own car. Despite this, he says living in America has been incredible because he had always dreamed of coming here. He also enjoys that there is less traffic in many places.

Mr. Pardo decided to become a Spanish teacher because he wanted to take on a new challenge and experience what it was like to teach Spanish to people from a different cultural background. He especially enjoys watching his students make progress and seeing the moment when they finally understand something.

He hopes his students learn more than just Spanish. He wants them to learn about Colombia and become more open to different cultures. Although he has noticed some differences between schools in Colombia and America, he says teaching is actually very similar, and students generally behave the same.

Outside of school, Mr. Pardo enjoys rock, pop, metal, techno, and jazz music. He likes swimming, going to the gym, playing guitar, reading, and watching horror and science-fiction movies. He also used to play soccer.

If Mr. Pardo could give his students one piece of advice, he would encourage them to experience the world and share those experiences with others. He believes that happiness is most meaningful when it is shared.

As Mr. Pardo begins his new role, he hopes to teach his students not only the Spanish language but also the culture, traditions, and experiences that make learning another language so meaningful.