Educator Spotlight of the Month: May 2021

Author: Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana
Community Involvement
Published: Friday, 30 Apr 2021

Sharing

Image caption: May 2021 Spotlight: Linda Schaffer

Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana gives a spotlight to a local educator every month by publishing an in-depth interview about their JA experience.

JA: What grade do you teach & where?

LS: I teach Juniors and Seniors enrolled in the Entrepreneurial Academy at New Tech Institute High School.

JA: Are you a Junior Achievement Alum? If so, tell us about your Junior Achievement experience when you were a student.

LS: I am not a JA Alum.

JA: How long have you hosted Junior Achievement programs in your classroom?

LS: I have hosted JA programs for 3 years.

JA: Why did you initially choose to have Junior Achievement programs in your classroom?

LS: I was approached by Marcia Forston. I am thankful that she reached out to me.

JA: What do you enjoy most about having Junior Achievement programs taught to your students?

LS: I enjoy hosting community volunteers. It was obvious that our volunteer, Mareea Thomas, enjoyed working with my students. She was extremely knowledgeable on the topic. Mareea was encouraging and inspired my students to achieve greatness.

JA: What reason would you give to another educator on why they should have Junior Achievement programs in their classroom?

LS: No matter how old your students are, it is important to bring in real-world experiences. JA programs are a great way of doing just that. The volunteers are knowledgeable and bring an authenticity to the classroom topic.

JA: What value do you feel a JA volunteer provides you and your students?

LS: The JA volunteer provides reinforcement support of concepts that I am already teaching. What they are learning in JA programs is important to our students and our community. The programs are hands-on and provide an opportunity for students to grow.

JA: What is one of your favorite JA moments?

LS: My favorite moment was when Mareea and I first heard each group's new business idea. They were truly innovative and creative.

JA: In what ways has the pandemic changed how JA is being taught in your classroom?

LS: Due to the pandemic, visitors are not allowed in the classroom. Therefore, we conducted our meetings virtually using technology.