ACA Teacher Spotlight: Jodi Conrad

Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.

The art of teaching is one that is arguably the most important in the world. When we are very young, we rely on our parents or guardians to teach us basic motor skills, how to eat and how to take care of ourselves. As we gain independence, our teachers in life guide us through discovering the world around us, mastering new skills and habits along the way. Even the most experienced and prestigious professions in the world are only possible with the help of educators. This week, we spotlight the efforts and dedications of one of the great educators at Aucilla Christian Academy, Jodi Conrad.
Conrad has been an educator for over 17 years, and says that her initial inspiration to become a teacher came from her desire to become a mother.
“I always knew I wanted to be a mom,” admits Conrad, “ and I knew that when I became a mom, I wanted to have a career where my schedule would match theirs. With the daily hours and having summers off, teaching just made sense.”
Having a personal prowess for mathematics, Conrad decided to become a math instructor, and it was while attending Trigonometry courses at TCC that she discovered a true passion for teaching itself, based on the teaching styles of one of her professors, Ms. King. Inspired by the style of teaching that Ms. King used in her lessons, Conrad felt a strong drive to teach, and be the kind of teacher Ms. King had been for her.
Feeling the strain many parents feel when faced with the notoriously struggling school systems of the Jefferson County area years ago, Conrad sought teaching jobs in Leon County, so that her children would be able to attend school there. For 12 years, she taught high school-level mathematics to students at Lincoln High School before transferring to Florida High to teach at the same school as her kids for a year. Realizing that her children were able to attend school whether or not she continued teaching at their school, Conrad finally decided to take a break from teaching and try a career in “the real world.”
“That was the pits!” exclaimed Conrad in good humor, “I couldn't understand how anybody kept a job in a regular field! Doing the whole “nine-to-five” job every day, hoping for a two-week break at the end of every year – it was the worst!”
After a year of working in an alternative field, Conrad couldn't take any more and decided that she wanted to continue down the path of her teaching career. She began looking for available jobs and says that before long, God opened an opportunity for her at Aucilla Christian Academy, where she has now been teaching for five years, specializing in high school math.
Conrad knows that math is a challenging subject for many individuals, strives to encourage her students to not simply give up when they don't get it right away. One of the most difficult parts of teaching such a challenging subject is that many of the parents of the students also have a difficult time with the subject and can tend to be very dismissive of the lessons. Conrad says this dismissive behavior from the families or the parents creates a similar attitude in the students.
“Some of these kids have parents that talk very openly about not liking math, or about how math is hard, or pointless,” she says, “and if that's what they're being told at home, that's what they start to believe about the subject, before they even try to learn it.”
Enthusiastic parental support can go a long way in making a difficult subject easier for students to grasp, says Conrad, who recommends that parents who struggle with a certain subject refrain from talking badly about it or dismissing its importance to their child based on their own abilities or interests. She stresses the truth that some students may excel or thrive in subjects that their parents struggle with, and it helps to start off from an encouraging place, especially when dealing with topics that can be difficult, like math.
One of the most rewarding parts of being a teacher for Conrad is when she sees a student overcome their hang ups or hesitations with math and begin to not just pass the class, but excel and find enjoyment in the material. As math is often a multi-layered subject throughout a student's schooling, she knows the significance of laying down the foundation and understanding of the subject, so that students will be mentally prepared to take on future lessons with future teachers, as the subject grows in complexity.
Conrad prides herself on being an organized and compassionate teacher, although she adds that she has no tolerance for nonsense in her classrooms.
“I am very structured,” she states confidently, “because I believe that students thrive under consistency. I am a no-nonsense teacher; I want my students to know that they can't get away with less than their best. In my classroom, I don't tolerate lying. I'll call you out if I think you're not being honest.”
“I love my students, and expect a lot from them,” she adds, “and for the most part, they deliver. That's why I expect so much from them, because I believe in them and know they can do it!”
Conrad strives to teach her students not only the math lessons in the textbooks, but also how to use them in other avenues in their lives.
“I want to teach them how to think,” she says. “How to problem solve, and the importance of questioning the answer. I want them to be life-long learners. The skills that are required for math are applicable to anything my students come in contact with, whether that is other classes they are taking, future jobs, or just life in general. I want them to be curious.”
She and her husband, Brian, have been married for 23 years and have three children, Emma Rae, Grace and Eli. Conrad says she plans to stay at Aucilla until God puts it on her heart to switch things up again. She harbors a passion for underprivileged or at-risk students who may not have support at home, and who struggle especially with subjects like mathematics.
For now, she is enjoying teaching at ACA, bringing math lessons to life for her students. When she isn't busy teaching, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, going to the Wacissa River and the beach. She enjoys her involvement in her church's activities, and currently attends Wacissa Christian Church. In her free time she enjoys napping and meeting with a group of core friends in support and fellowship.