Jennie Huynh was a preceptor in the Joseph Baldwin Academy (JBA) at Truman in the summer of 2017. JBA offers three week courses for students what have just completed 7th, 8th, or 9th grades. Jennie was a preceptor for the Science of Secrecy – a class on cryptological mathematics.
How did you find out about it and what was the application process like?
I had first heard about JBA through peers that had previously worked for the program that told me about how great of an experience they had. In order to be considered as a preceptor for JBA, you must be nominated by a professor teaching a JBA class. One of my math professors, Dr. Tony Vazzana, asked if I would be interested in working for JBA because of my interest in teaching. Once nominated, I submitted an application with a letter of recommendation that was followed by an interview with the program directors.
What sorts of things did you do in your job?
I assisted the professor in the classroom by helping with lessons and leading activities. I was responsible for helping the professor with classroom management. I aided with grading assignments and monitoring study hall every day. I lived in the dorms with the students and had a housing group that I supervised in the evening. I also planned housing events for the students to participate in.
How did you benefit from this experience?
Working with students from breakfast to class and activities up until bed time was something I had never done before. I learned a lot about dealing with classroom management and student conflicts. I also genuinely enjoyed working with the students all day and watching them learn and grow throughout the summer. I felt that I was making a difference in these students’ lives and that is what made this experience so meaningful to me.