Jade Wilkison
Nashville,TN
Summary
My goal as an English educator is to create an inclusive classroom community where every student feels seen and heard. I am passionate about allowing students to recognize their strengths while pushing them past what they think they know. I adore the the English language, both the beauty and the cumbersome nature. As an educator it’s my responsibility to foster critical thinking in my students, while also encouraging them to be global citizens. I develop meaningful personal relationships with my students, that help me tailor lessons to their strengths and interests. I am excited to bring my passion to an international setting.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
English, Journalism, Acting, Speech & Debate
Nashville School of the Arts
07.2020 - Current
- Awarded Teacher of the Year 2024-2025
- Nominated for Teacher of the Year 2023-2024
- 2020-Present Grade 11 American Literature
- 2020-2021 Grade 9,11,12 standard and honors English
- 2020-2023 9th grade Reading Intervention
- American Literature Grade 11, standard and honors
- 4-5 sections of English III American Literature, each class containing 17-29 students
- Classes built around the Harkness philosophy, with student discussion and inquiry at the heart of student learning.
- Poetry, Short Fiction, Nonfiction, Novel Study
- Poetry of Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, TS Eliot, Langston Hughes, Julia Alvarez and others.
- Short fiction from Kate Chopin, Alice Walker, Louise Erdrich, Katherine Anne Porter and others.
- Play study: "The Crucible"
- Nonfiction: Including but not limited to,, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July" by Frederick Douglass; The Declaration of Sentiments by Elizabeth Cady Stanton; Riot Grrrl Manifesto by Kathleen Hanna; Third Wave Manifesta by Jennifer Baumgartner and Amy Richards.
- Novel Study: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls; I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sánchez; The Grace Year by Kim Liggett; Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
- Design differentiated lessons for optimal student learning and growth
- Develop assessments that allow students to analyze literature through a creative lens: music, poetry, visual art and dance.
- Taught in fully online and hybrid classes during pandemic
- Used online solutions like Flipgrid, Jamboard, Padlet, Kahoot!, Zoom, and others to enhance e-learning for students
- Journalism/Yearbook
- Supervise and direct the creative design and layout of the school yearbook utilizing Studio Balfour Encore
- Coordinated with photographers for underclass school picture day as well as senior picture day.
- Create deadlines for students to stay on track with spread assignments
- Graphic design
- Advertising
- Advanced Acting
- Teach advanced acting to grades10-12
- Create curricula that develops student skills in ensemble work, characterization, objectives, tactics and relationships
- Units include scene study, monologue, improvisation, devising and methods
- Speech and Debate
- Create curricula
- Strengthened interpersonal skills among debaters by emphasizing active listening and respectful disagreement during discussions.
- Boosted critical thinking abilities by challenging debaters to analyze complex topics from multiple angles.
English Department Lead on Social and Emotional Learning
Nashville School of the Arts
01.2021 - Current
- Created first International Student Travel Program at Nashville School of the Arts
- Group leader on student trip to Costa Rica, where students engaged in both community service and reforestation projects (March2023)
- Group leader on student trip Edinburgh, London, Caen and Paris (March2024)
- Applied for, and received “Rainbow Library” from GLSEN
- This collection of books includes LIGTBATQL+ affirming literature (November2022)
Student Teacher Grade9 English Language Arts
McGavock High School
01.2020 - 01.2020
- Taught 4 sections of Grade9 English with class size ranging from 18-30
- Created curriculum for novel study The Other Wes Moore
- Daily grammar review
- Observed mentor teacher and worked together on classroom management, unit planning and assessments
Practicum Teacher Grade6 English Language Arts
Woodland Middle School
01.2019 - 01.2019
- Worked with6th grade students in small groups
- Attended parent-teacher meetings to review unit planning, classroom management, student relationships
Education
M.Ed - Secondary Education, English
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN07-2020
B.A. - Liberal Studies
Belmont University
Nashville, TN12-2018
Skills
- Canva
- PowerPoint
- Teams
- Schoology
- Infinite Campus
- Classroom management
- Department collaboration
- Curriculum development
- Student evaluations
- Multitasking strength
Accomplishments
- Earned "Teacher of the Year" at Nashville School of the Arts. 2024-2025.
Selected Professional Development
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) - November 2024
- Curiosity Killed the Cat: The Power of Not Knowing in the Humanities Classroom
- Radical Love in Literacy: hooks, Friere, and Darder in Today's Classroom
- Engaging Gen Z: Strategies for Teaching Reading in a World of Screens
- Every Word Matters: Strategies for Putting Heart, Humanity and Music Back into Poetry Instruction
- Our Patchwork Stories: Elevating Student Voices in the High School English Classroom
Philips Exeter Academy - July 2024
- Exeter Humanities Institute
- The Exeter Humanities Institute is a week long intensive designed to explore the use of student-centered, discussion-based education that is loosely described as the Harkness Method of teaching at Phillips Exeter Academy.
Metro Nashville Public Schools
- Restorative practices and restorative circles
- Trauma informed practices: supporting resilience during collective stress and trauma
Related Experience
- Created first international student travel program at Nashville School of the Arts
- Group leader on student trip to Costa Rica, where students engaged in both community service and reforestation projects.
- Group leader on student trip to Edinburgh, London, Caen and Paris where students focused on European history and the D-day beaches in particular.
- Member of GLSEN (Gay Lesbian and Straight Educator Network) South
- Applied for, and received "Rainbow Library". Collection of books that includes LIGTBATQL+ affirming literature.
- English Department Lead on Social and Emotional Learning
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Elementary
French
Elementary
Timeline
English Department Lead on Social and Emotional Learning
Nashville School of the Arts
01.2021 - Current
English, Journalism, Acting, Speech & Debate
Nashville School of the Arts
07.2020 - Current
Student Teacher Grade9 English Language Arts
McGavock High School
01.2020 - 01.2020
Practicum Teacher Grade6 English Language Arts
Woodland Middle School
01.2019 - 01.2019
M.Ed - Secondary Education, English
Vanderbilt University
B.A. - Liberal Studies
Belmont University
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