JACQUELYN A. FOX-GOOD
What originally got you
interested in teaching?
My interest in teaching
arose during my very early
experiences in school, as a
student. I clearly recall not
just being in school, but
also “playing school” with
my best friend, Bonnie.

She most often played the
student, and I, the teacher.

I believed early on that I
would be a teacher, even
that I already was one, and
I began to focus on my
own teachers through this
lens. I had many teachers
who were wonderful,
and others who were less
so. So, I began to keep a
journal of things I planned
to do (and not to do) as a
teacher. What advice would you
give to aspiring teachers?
First, before you start
teaching and once you
are teaching, work hard
to develop in-depth and
specialized knowledge of
your subject matter. Take
courses in, study, travel to
understand, become an
expert in the discipline you
are teaching. I emphasize
this because education
courses, although
sometimes useful, almost
never provide what
you need most in the
classroom, which is deep
knowledge of what you
are teaching.

Second, set high
expectations for yourself
and for your students. They
will rise to meet them,
partly because they will
understand that you are
doing the same. Establish
rules; follow them, and
IB ENGLISH
(LITERATURE) AND
IB THEORY OF
KNOWLEDGE (12TH
GRADE) TEACHER AT
STONEWALL JACKSON
HIGH SCHOOL,
MANASSAS, VA
expect your
students to follow
them, but be
prepared to
adjust when
you need
to. In the
words of a
wise English
playwright, “the quality
of mercy is
not strained.”
Like human
beings, the law
sometimes needs to yield.

This develops
naturally from
the premise
that as
teachers we
are working
with our
students, not
against them.

What is
the single best piece
of advice you can give
parents of high school
seniors? I recommend patience.

One needs to expect
these students to assume
responsibility for their
own actions, work and
behavior. One must be
ready to step in and lend
support if students ask
for it, or when they need
it (even when they do
not ask). As a parent and
as a teacher who has
worked with many young
adults (in high school and
university), I know how
diffi cult it is to strike a
balance between letting
go and holding on. But
fi nding this balance serves
students now and in the
long run; it also facilitates
TEACHERS OF THE
YEAR NOMINATED BY
ANYA G.

“Ask any of her
students, her
colleagues, or her
IB Director and they
will all agree that
Jacquelyn is an
incredible teacher.

She is beyond
humble and goes
above and beyond at
every turn to ensure
her students are
better writers and
thinkers. healthy relationships with
one’s children as they
become adults.

What are three things
you use in your
classroom every day and
could never live without?
1. Books—the paper,
material kind.

2. Desks that move—so
that we can sit in a
circle for discussion,
or in whatever
confi guration is
suitable to our
purposes for the day.

3. Lots of art prints,
colorful pictures,
quotations, etc. on
the walls—for visual
interest. Oh, and
battery-powered holiday lights!
Her dedication to
her work does not go
unnoticed ― I never
see her not grading.

Over the years, her
students have written
her novels to thank
her, and tell her
how much she has
infl uenced them and
their aspirations. It’s
amazing to see how
many students she
has inspired!”
SPONSORED BY:
washingtonFAMILY.com August 2017
19