“What better way to spend my life than doing this?”
Jen Jacobs on Multidimensionality, Memorability, and Making History Come Alive
A member of our EPiC grant in Michigan, Jen Jacobs, shared her journey into teaching and the impact that journey has left on her since.
Sometimes teaching isn’t a first job or even a first calling. For Jen Jacobs, middle school teacher and a member of our EPiC grant, the calling of teaching came later in life.
“I knew from the time I could say the word ‘veterinarian,’ that’s what I wanted to be,” Jen said. After overcoming challenges early in her pre-med program, she dedicated herself to working at a vet clinic, fully committed to her dream of becoming a veterinarian. But she was told she was too kind-hearted and would “go bankrupt trying to save all the animals on the planet.”
As Jen was pondering her next steps, she tried her hand at bartending, waitressing, and corporate life. One of Jen’s friends suggested she substitute at her school for special-needs students. After three weeks at the school, Jen knew she had found her calling: “I was 28 years old and finally knew what I wanted to do when I grew up.”
Because of the small class sizes at this particular school, Jen interacted with many of the students on a one-on-one basis. “I was fortunate enough to experience a lot of those moments where all of a sudden it clicks and they get it,” she said. Those moments became her daily motivation. “Just the hope that I get one of those moments with a kid where they’re struggling with something, and all of a sudden it clicks—the gates open up. It’s such a good feeling. What better way to spend my life than doing this?”
Working with the kids at that school changed Jen. One of the most important lessons she learned was that she was more than someone who teaches historical dates to students. “There are a lot of life skills that kids need to be taught. Sometimes you just need to be something other than a teacher. You need to be the shoulder that they cry on. You need to be the nurse. You need to be the thearapist.” As a teacher, embracing different sides of yourself shows students that they, too, can be more than just “the student.” When students are encouraged to explore their multidimensional identities, they reveal their own unique qualities and interests beyond the role of “the student.”
To teach history effectively, Jen incorporates intrigue, drama, and humanity into her lessons. She understands that history is often presented in a sugar-coated way, making historical figures seem perfect and not like flawed humans. “Kids love to see other people mess up because it’s a part of their daily existence,” she said.
One way Jen brings this authentic approach into the classroom is through her “history tidbits,” which describe something that happened on that given day in history. To hook in students at the beginning of the year, her classes start with the assassination of President McKinley, the assassination of President Garfield, and two assassination attempts on President Ford.
By first showing students the intriguing parts of history, Jen can then engage them on a deeper level. For example, while her class was studying the Constitution, the results of the 2024 presidential election were announced. Her students came in with questions from the news, which they were able to analyze and discuss in class. “I hope that they leave my class with an understanding of their civic duty. No one ever told me that I needed to get involved, that my voice mattered.”
Jen’s impact doesn’t end when students leave her classroom. Many of her past students return to share updates on their lives and to discover the day’s history tidbits. “All of these kids have shaped my life and changed the teacher and person that I am,” she said. “To have them come back and say hi now and then—it’s the greatest gift in the world.”