Meet the Teacher

Cara at The First Grade Parade is doing a Getting to Know You Party!

I'm Jenni with an i.  I am not Jenny.  Or Jen.  Or Jenn.  Truth be told, I don't dislike the name Jen but it really started to bother me when people who I didn't know very well just assumed they could call me Jen.  Blake calls me Rita (long story).  I just got married in July to Blake after dating for six years.  We were long distance for the first two and half... long distance romances can work out!

This is my 8th year of teaching.  I taught first grade for 6 years and switched to Kindergarten last year.  I love aspects of both grades and love working with the primary kiddos.  I've been at the same school since I started and I absolutely love it.  We have a great staff and that can make all the difference!

Question and Answer Time...

Q: What would you be doing if you weren’t a teacher?

A: At some point, when we have kids, I would love to be a stay at home mom.  If that didn't work out, I would love to be a florist or a photographer.  I love flowers but I'm not very good at arranging them.  So, that might not be a good back-up career choice.  :)  But, I love photography and would love to be a professional one!  I'm still working on my photography skills!

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Reading and photography.  I love reading and haven't met a book store I didn't like!

Q: When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A teacher!  I knew in 2nd grade that I wanted to be a first grade teacher!

Q: What are your guilty pleasures?
A: Coke (not diet, regular), Real Housewives (OC, Beverly Hills & NYC), The Bachelor (Blake and I got hooked this season), and swedish fish.

Q: What is your biggest fear?!
A: Fires.  I've also been worried about fires. 
Q: When you’re on vacation, where do you like to go?
A: I love traveling... so I'm going to say anywhere!  We're headed to Germany, Switzerland and Austria for Spring Break and I can't wait!

Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
A: Be confident in who you are.

Q: What do you value most in others?
A: Trust and honesty, both very important to me!

Q: If you could choose one of your personality traits to pass down to your kids, what would it be?
A: My joy of learning.  I know that sounds cheesy but I really like to learn.  I tell my students when I'm taking a class for teaching or a photography class... just so they know that you can always learn more!

Q: If you could have lunch with anyone in the world….living or dead…who would it be?
A: This is hard.  I think my grandmother who died when I was in 7th grade.  She died of a heart attack in her sleep and I would love to get a chance to talk with her again!

Now tell us one random thing about yourself:
I hate talking on the phone to people I don't know- anywhere from ordering food, to talking to car repair people, etc... If I can get out of it, I will!  Also, one more, I hate mushrooms and bananas.  The texture of both of those freak me out!