Christina Jimenez – Resource Room Teacher

Location: Island Park Elementary

Job description: Christina teaches reading, writing and math to students who have been identified as having learning disabilities and/or need support in the Resource Room.

Typical day: Christina’s day begins at 8:15 a.m. with either a meeting or a small group of students. About two-thirds of her day is spent with students, the other third is spent in meetings and collaborating with the Learning Support Team of paraprofessionals, teachers, and parents to help students meet their IEP goals. In between teaching and collaboration, there is documentation. “Here at MISD there is a level of accountability which is great,” Christina says, “but it means a lot of paperwork!”

Best part of the job: Christina enjoys getting to know her students’ interests and learning styles. “It’s satisfying to figure out how to use a child’s strengths to support his or her learning struggles,” she says.

Something people may not know: Christina grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. She became a caseworker for New York City foster children and in helping to place them in schools, discovered that she loved the energy of the classroom. Christina got her masters degree at Teachers College, Columbia University and has taught for 9 years.

Years worked at district: 1 year.

Outside interests: Christina is a gourmet cook. She loves to camp and to chef creatively over an open fire. “You can cook anything in foil!” she says. As a lifetime New Yorker, she had no need for a driver’s license. It wasn’t until deciding to move to Seattle that she got her license and cut her teeth behind the wheel driving cross-country along old Route 66 and the Pacific Coast Highway. Though she now enjoys driving, “I still don’t like to park—I often base where I’m going on how easy it will be to park there!” She also enjoys running.