2007 ~ 2008
The teachers of
Vinita High School selected Jody
Skinner to receive this award, in recognition of her
dedication and excellence as a teaching professional. Jody was
previously selected Teacher of the Year in 1999.
Jody
chairs the VHS Math Department. Since
coming to VHS in 1981 she has taught Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry,
Math Analysis
and Calculus.
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I think I
always
wanted to be a teacher. I have always loved school and the learning
process. I was blessed with several wonderful teachers that had a great
impact on my desire to become a teacher. I hope that I can
pass on
that desire to some of the students that I teach, or if not to teach at
least the desire to keep learning and gaining knowledge in our ever
changing world.
I was also influenced to a great extent by the “not so great” teachers that I had in school. I was determined to do a better job of reaching students. I thought that I could explain a tough concept in terms that the students would understand and I have tried my best to do so through the years. I graduated from Vinita High School in 1976 and was co-valedictorian of my senior class. I achieved my bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Oklahoma State University in 1981 and my master’s degree in education from Northeastern State University in 1986. I achieved my National Board Certification in 2003. I am married to Charley and have two step-children that also attend Vinita High School, Samantha and Kyle. I love to go camping and fishing with the family. I also enjoy gardening and scrap booking. I believe that effective teachers do not merely convey information but must create a situation where students are empowered to learn on their own. I attempt to inspire students to want to learn and to take new ideas and apply them to their own lives. In doing so, I try to make the objectives of the lesson very clear and illustrate them to the students on a level that is easy for them to understand and apply. I like to do discovery activities that help students to understand the concepts. I believe in giving the students enough examples and homework problems from the lesson to enable them to develop a full understanding of the concepts. I have high expectations of my students and I push them to reach their goals. I also try to develop a sense of self-confidence in the student that will carry over to other areas. I attempt to make their classroom experiences meaningful to them, not only to satisfy their high school graduation goals, but also to be beneficial to them in their adult years. I think the most important thing for a student to learn in my class is to learn how to learn. Society and technology change so rapidly that it is essential that the student becomes a life long learner in order to be a successful adult. ~ Jody Skinner |
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Mrs. Skinner's Class Website VHS Home Page |
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