We are proud to introduce our 45th Sunday Spotlight, featuring Jeanne Ruth who is a Technology Coach and IB Chemistry teacher in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jeanne loves using Edulastic as a tool for mastery learning and, as a technology coach, likes that she can compare data at a classroom, school and district level. You can find her snacking on Teddy Grahams while using Edulastic and hanging out with her family in her free time. We enjoyed getting to know Jeanne and hope you enjoy the interview too!

Jeanne Ruth

Teacher
Valley High School
Las Vegas, Nevada 
23 years working in education
@kittendoyle                                                                    

 

“We all started with the free account. It was literally love at first sight. Science LOVED it… Biology can all give the same test, look at the data for each teacher and show growth over time. If one teacher is doing something the others are struggling with, it gives everyone the chance to learn and shine.”

– Jeanne Ruth

Get to know Jeanne Ruth

 

What do you love about working in education? What motivates you? 

The students keep me coming back. Having them come back after thinking they didn’t learn anything and telling me how they now understand why they get shocked by the grocery cart, or why roads are slicker when it first rains compared to after it has rained for days.

Why did you become a teacher? 

It was something I always knew I would be. My mom was a teacher and no matter how hard I fought against it, I would take jobs that somehow led to me teaching.

What is your “Edulastic story”? 

My supervising administrator texted me on a Saturday and told me to check out Edulastic because everyone at a conference she was at were talking about it. So there I was, on my weekend, looking at what Edulastic could do for us. We all started with the free account. It was literally love at first sight. Science LOVED it. We are required to do department learning goals. Using Edulastic made this so easy because Biology can all give the same test, look at the data for each teacher and show growth over time. If one teacher is doing something the others are struggling with, it gives everyone the chance to learn and shine.

Describe your Edulastic “aha” moment.

While I was sold on Edulastic from the beginning, during the edulastic innovator team training I found things that were amazing. Beautiful data that showed not only your class, but how you compared to the school and the district. Showing growth over time, year to year change, and mastery of objectives.

What are your teaching/learning goals this year?
I am working on getting students to work towards not just learning, but mastery and edulastic is a big part of that goal.

Jeanne Ruth’s NASA colored classroom decour

Sum up your teaching philosophy in a few sentences! 

Making better humans is the most important part of the job.

Favorite motivational quote:

Will it matter in 10 years? if not, it doesn’t matter today.

Tips for new Edulastic users:

If possible, get a pro account. Being able to jumble questions and answers helps keep cheating down.

Quick Facts

Favorite Edulastic question type?

There are so many to chose from, Multiple selection, passage

Favorite snack while using Edulastic

Currently, Teddy Grahams and Oranges.

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee

Spring or Fall?

Fall

Computer?

PC

Favorite Book:

Paranormal romance, something mindless

Best tactic for getting the class quiet?

Become more quiet myself

Must- have classroom Decor: 

My stuffed moles and animals students have made for me
 

Kindest compliment you have received from a student or teacher?

When I had a student graduate, she said now she can call me friend.

Funniest student moment?

When having a bad day, I had a student ask if I needed them to take care of it for me. Scary, but sweet and funny.

How do you like to spend your free time?

With my family and my dogs. Just being lazy.

Favorite time of the school year and why:

Fall, football season

Greatest accomplishment in the classroom this past year:

Hearing, “I get it.”

If you could do anything what would it be?

Still teaching, but I would love to train teachers on skills that are actually important.

Teachers have the most fun!

Green Star

Join Jeanne Ruth and other educators:

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