Jennifer Douglass – Veterans High School

Jennifer Douglass is the 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year for Veterans High School. Douglass grew up in many different countries because her father was a Foreign Service officer with the U.S. State Department. She attended schools in Iran, Germany and France. Douglass earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo and her master’s degree from UNC – Chapel Hill. Her first teaching job was at Westside High School in Macon and then later came to Veterans High School in 2012 where she teaches chemistry and AP chemistry. 

Why teaching/What brought you into this field?

“I never thought about teaching until when I was in graduate school where I worked as a part time teacher’s assistant. I was planning on going into research with science, but when I was a teacher’s assistant one of the requirements was we had to teach some of the lectures. I was nervous at first, but it became more enjoyable when the students would ask me questions and then seeing them understand it was a great feeling. And so I changed my mind and became a teacher.”

Any inspiration from past teachers?

“There were two teachers that really stuck out to me and that was my biology and history teachers. My biology teacher made each day so much fun and you never knew what he was going to come up with that day. My history teacher really made the subject come to life and it made the class so much more interesting. I try to instill that in my teaching today.”

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

“I really enjoy breaking down material and making it more approachable for the students. Chemistry is one of the more complicated sciences, and there are different levels as to what goes on.”

What is the most

challenging part of teaching?

“Each student is different and even each class together as a whole are different. Some are more motivated while others take their time, which is all fine, but making sure to adapt to each different personality can be challenging.”

Advice to students

“I thought about this and thought I would ask my students what advice they would give. Majority of them said to plan your week and break it down as to how you will accomplish each task. When you’re in middle school you are given an agenda and you have to get it signed, but in high school it becomes your responsibility to keep up with your schedule and assignments. Others said don’t get behind in the beginning of the school year otherwise you spend your year digging your self out of a hole. I agree and was impressed by their answers.”

Advice to parents

“Again I asked my students what advice they would give and again I was really impressed. Majority agreed to hold children accountable, but when they reach high school to back off just a little so that the child can learn responsibility. I really agree to that because if students don’t hit a few bumps in the road before adulthood then they don’t really have a chance to handle different matters on their own.”