A Passion for Education That Found Its Way to 天美影视 DC
Meet Christopher Jean-Baptiste, a 天美影视 DC special education teacher who shows how passion and purpose can lead you exactly where you鈥檙e meant to be鈥攅ven if it鈥檚 not where you expected to land.
Mr. Jean-Baptiste, affectionately known as Mr. JB by his students at The Learning Center (TLC), didn鈥檛 initially set out to be a teacher. He studied corporate security in college in New York and started his career working in investigations, dealing with small business fraud claims. But outside of his day job, he spent his time mentoring young people. Whether volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, leading educational activities through his fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, or working with the Boys and Girls Club, Mr. JB found himself consistently drawn to work with kids. 鈥淓verything I was doing outside of work had to do with youth, and I enjoyed it more. I had a passion for it, and I was like, maybe I should look into this,鈥� he said.
That realization led him to apply to the NYC Teaching Collaborative program. From there, he became a substitute teacher, then a full-time science teacher, then a kindergarten teacher鈥攅ventually, finding his way to 天美影视 DC. 鈥淚 was looking for a change, something new,鈥� he shared. 鈥淚鈥檇 never really lived anywhere outside of New York. DC seemed like the right move. It kept me close to my mom in New York and my sister in Baltimore. And once I met Mr. Cordell and the leadership team here, they got me excited to take on this adventure.鈥�
Now in his third year at TLC, Mr. JB is a special education teacher鈥攁 role he鈥檚 genuinely passionate about. 鈥淣o offense to general education teachers,鈥� he laughs, 鈥渂ut special education is definitely the best.鈥� He loves the deep, intentional support surrounding educators and students at 天美影视 DC. From behavior analysts and psychologists to mental health practitioners and teachers, he describes a wraparound support system that ensures no one ever feels alone. 鈥淓ven if a student鈥檚 having a rough day, we come together, collaborate, and build a plan. It鈥檚 not top-down. Everyone鈥檚 voice is heard.鈥�
That support also extends to his own development. Mr. JB is a big fan of immediate, actionable feedback. 鈥淚f I鈥檓 teaching a new lesson or working with a tricky student, I can ask for help anytime, and someone鈥檚 there,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 feel like I’ve become a better teacher. I’ve become a better person simply because I learned you don’t always have to do something alone. I’ve never been so supported in literally everything that I do.鈥�
But at the heart of everything is his love for the students. He sees their potential clearly and believes in their ability to grow and succeed. 鈥淭here’s nothing stopping them from learning. They can learn. They will learn. They have learned. And they will go off to do great things. It helps fuel me,鈥� he continues, 鈥渨orking with them and making sure that I’m doing the best that I can for them so that they can turn out the best for themselves.鈥�
He emphasizes the importance of connecting on a personal level, too, like bonding over WWE matches during morning check-ins or being flexible with routines to meet students where they are. 鈥淚’ve learned that with our students. It’s OK to be silly with them. It’s OK to play. It’s OK to go off topic and talk about their interests鈥攎ess up the schedule a bit. They appreciate that.鈥�
When asked what makes 天美影视 DC special, Mr. JB doesn鈥檛 hesitate: 鈥淭here鈥檚 structure, but also freedom. I can be creative. I can teach in ways that work best for my students.鈥� That balance, along with the deep sense of 天美影视 and support, has made his journey to TLC not just worthwhile but also transformative.
Mr. JB鈥檚 story reminds us that sometimes, our path finds us. And when it does, the impact can be life-changing鈥攏ot just for one person, but for every student lucky enough to walk into his classroom.
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