Based in the Greater Washington D.C. area, I create content and interactive learning experiences which help children (and those who care for them) to thrive.
I believe children are innately curious about the world around them and learn best when they can explore their world in a hands-on and inquiry-based way.
My passion lies in creating story-based learning adventures which build emotional connections between children and the content they're learning.
When both the head and heart are engaged in the process of learning, students can begin to actualize their potential.... and thrive!
About Me
The ways in which children learn has always fascinated me.
I grew up in Southern California and spent my weekends playing "school" with my younger sister, trying to teach her all the things I had learned that week and marveling at how she made sense of the world around her. As a teenager, I worked at a specialty toy shop testing out new products with the children who visited to see what they enjoyed playing with most. It was here that I first observed the natural curiosity that is innate in children, and became an advocate for what I later learned is the "play-to-learn" philosophy.
Post high school, I attended San Diego State University and majored in Elementary Education. When I wasn't in class, I was usually working at San Diego's local public broadcasting station, KPBS. It was here that I witnessed the power of informal learning, and more specifically children's media, to deliver engaging educational content at-scale to children in under-resourced communities.
Summers were spent working at Sea World, leading educational programs for 4-6th grade campers. While teaching about marine life and conservation measures, I was also able to experience the power of hands-on, inquiry-based learning with older, school aged kids. As it turned out, it's not just preschoolers who enjoy rolling up their sleeves and letting their curiosity lead the way!
After a stint in Germany working at a Child Development Center for AmeriCorps, I was hired as a full-time classroom teacher in San Diego, CA. It was here that I was able to synthesize all I had learned about student-led learning. As the science specialist at a STEM magnet school, I was given the freedom to create my own science enrichment curriculum. This allowed me to hone my craft of creating engaging and interactive learning experiences for children. I also had the pleasure of sharing my knowledge with other elementary teachers in the district by leading PD workshops on inquiry-based learning, Project-Based Learning (PBL), the Backwards Design model, and ways to integrate science education in the classroom.
Four years later, I moved to Northern Arizona and was hired as a 5th grade teacher in a rural community on the outskirts of town. It was here I learned first-hand the inequities that exist and the challenges teachers face in providing a quality education in an under-resourced environment. Like many teachers working with a high-needs population of students in a buckling school system, I experienced burnout and eventually said goodbye to classroom teaching.
After a big move to Massachusetts, the birth of my two sons, and a few years' reflection I was finally ready to re-enter the education sector. This time, however, I knew I needed to have a broader impact on the educational landscape. I set my heart on influencing changes which would positively impact more children than one little classroom could hold.
In February of 2020, I was accepted into the Education Policy & Management master's program at Harvard University. Initially, I thought the most meaningful impact I could have was to reform and redesign "the system" to better support teachers and the students they serve. After a couple policy classes, however, I quickly realized policy was not a passion of mine. In that moment, it became crystal clear. My passion - my purpose - was to create resources for children and educators that help them to actualize their learning potential and thrive.
I spent the rest of my time at Harvard learning as much as I could about informal learning, children's media, human development, and adult learning. A few months prior to graduation I was hired by Guardian Adventures to create STEM-based immersive learning adventures for purchase by schools, summer camps, museums, and clients in the recreation/entertainment industry. Meghan Gardner, the founder and CEO of Guardian Adventures, had sat on a panel of industry members to which I had pitched an idea a few months prior. She saw the potential in me, reached out, and the rest as they say is history!
My Working Identity
Values
Strengths
Strengths
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Helping People
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Human Development
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Fostering Curiosity
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Theoretical Discovery
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Motivational Energy
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Strengths
Strengths
Strengths
Primary Competencies
Interpersonal Relations
Enterprising Actions
Discernment
Teaching & Instruction
Key Personality Traits
Kind-hearted
Inquisitive
Action-Oriented
Purpose
Strengths
Purpose
My purpose is to
use my primary talents of
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DISCERNMENT, COMPASSION & INSTRUCTION
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to perform my passions of
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LEADING, CREATING & TEACHING
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to accomplish my mission of
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INFLUENCING CHANGE & PROGRESS
Katie Jones
Greater Washington DC area
Email: ladykatiejones@gmail.com
Copyright © 2022-2023 Katie Jones - All Rights Reserved.
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