5 Question with Jodi-Ann Evans

You don’t have to look long and hard to see the passion Jodi-Ann Evans has for education. She was born to be who she is; a committed, driven, dynamic, and purposeful teacher. As a trained Special Educator and a woman who loves what she does, Jodi-Ann has a record of positively impacting the lives of her students.

After completing her Bachelor of Education degree in Special Education, she started teaching at the Independence City Primary School and is now shining her light at the Jessie Ripoll Primary School. She has also achieved several licenses and certifications, another display of her passion and diligence. Jodi-Ann is the inspiration and face behind Apple to Primary, a space where she engages students across Jamaica with educational content.

Education Jamaica Magazine has always been privileged to feature the most amazing people, and today we have Jodi-Ann Evans, who have answered our five questions. We hope it will ignite passion within you while you either find or journey in your purpose. Do enjoy!

1. Tell us a little about your professional journey

My professional journey started in my childhood, actually. I was born into a family of educators, principals, and school leaders. I believe that it was my witnessing, first handedly, the impact they had on their students’ lives that led me to a passion I believe was innate. Upon completing my training at The Mico University College, I entered the education system completely ready to hit the ground running and be that agent of change in my students’ lives. The road to such a goal, however, was not as smooth as I would have hoped. I was often met with discouragement from educators who didn’t share my fire or a system that was not as progressive as I would have anticipated.

I mentioned these challenges because they influenced the educator I am today. Every morning, it allowed me to wake up and affirm that I am an educator with one of the most important tasks – developing our nation’s builders. As I continue on my professional journey, I have also extended my passion from the classroom to other platforms: conducting teacher training seminars and connecting with other purpose-driven educators to change the trajectory of our education system and maintain the respect of the profession.

2. What inspired you to become a special needs educator?

My inspiration came from a church trip to a home for children with special needs. At a young age, I saw my friends being, unfortunately, “afraid” or reserved to interact with these children, pushing me to be more loving and interactive. My mother and church family actually saw how impactful this moment was and created more opportunities for me to spend more time with these children to then go home to learn more about their disabilities and how I could make our time together as beneficial and comfortable as possible. I used this inspiration to cement my decision to become a special educator; a job that would give me the opportunity to create a robust, approachable, engaging, and motivating learning experience for those students who would have had to experience segregation and limitation due to a system or society that doesn’t understand.

3. What would you say is most fulfilling about being an educator?

My favorite quote embodies the fulfillment I feel as an educator. It reminds me that “I might not be able to change the world, but I will definitely spark the brain that will.” As an educator, my purpose is to develop the holistic learner. Fulfillment comes from hearing “ooooooohhhh” or “woooooow” in class when my students finally understand a concept or hearing them shout your name from across a building, dragging their parents to say hi to their “favorite teacher.” The joys of being an educator come with celebrating the minor and major accomplishments daily – remembering where they are coming from and seeing the progress they have made because of the little extra love you might have shown or the song you used to introduce the topic.

4. What advice would you give to other special educators for the new school year?

My advice is to remember why you became a child’s superhero. It was once said, “To teach is to touch a life forever,” so as you encounter the inevitable challenges, get weary or question your methods, just remember the smile on your child’s face when you helped them to achieve something new or be more independent. Focus on those rewards. Stay true to your passion, and most importantly, remember to give yourself credit for the small wins.

5. Tell us about your YouTube channel, “Apple to Primary,” and how you have been engaging children across Jamaica.

As an educator who relied heavily on videos or resources to aid in the teaching and learning process, more so during virtual learning, I often got frustrated when I had to spend hours going through available videos online that my students could relate to. Most videos included vocabulary words or experiences that my students couldn’t recognize. As a result, the students would be unable to grasp the intended connection between resources and concepts. The Apple to Primary brand was formed during those YouTube searches. Overall, content that truly reflects and embodies Jamaican learners are limited, so as the brand continues to grow, my goal is to create go-to content that our early childhood and primary learners can appreciate on an accessible platform. To another extent, international viewership could also display and appreciate the local representation of our curricular content.

Apple to Primary will continue to provide content that boosts literacy, encourage the use of the 4Cs of education, and demonstrate the same in a way that appeals to our young audience. We are prepared to bring the curriculum to life in all subject areas and incorporate aspects of civic pride and local content and culture. In our first year, the reception has been overwhelming, with students sending me messages requesting videos or teachers expressing the difference it made in their lessons. With all the upcoming plans I have for the brand, I definitely look forward to how much more impact we can make and engage with as many schools and learners as possible.

Connect with Jodi-Ann here!