Changing the world might not be possible through my classroom alone, but if I can affect my students’ worlds, then that is a great place to start.”
Jessica’s Story
Jessica Uy grew up in Irvine, Calif., and attended a number of ‘gifted and talented’ and ‘academically accelerated’ programs throughout elementary and middle school. As a student at University of California, Davis, she saw the “stark contrast between her and her peers’ schooling experiences” and “realized who I wanted to teach and why. The high quality of public education I received showed me what could be a reality for many students who experience educational inequity.” Jessica graduated from UC Davis with a double major in American Studies and math and earned her MA in education from Stanford University.
Jessica chose to teach at Fremont High School because she felt students there had a great need for an equitable education. “There are many opportunities to promote equity for all students because of the work of the teachers, administration, other staff and student body and it’s exciting to be part of that work.”
Jessica uses a variety of participation structures in her classes that allow her students to access the class’s content, as well as have teacher and peer input. As a leader of the algebra team in her department, she collaborates with other teachers to create rich activities that help develop students’ ways of thinking and allow them to be successful in math.