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The Power of Perseverance: Jennifer DiGioia's Journey to National Board Certification
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Join us for an inspiring conversation with Jennifer DiGioia, a dedicated educator with 22 years of experience, as she shares her journey to achieving National Board Certification. Jennifer opens up about the challenges she faced, the support she found in unexpected places, and the impact the process has had on her teaching. Discover the power of perseverance, self-reflection, and collaboration in this insightful episode.
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Transcript
Introduction and Background
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to another episode of National Board Conversations where we spotlight incredible educators. I'm your host, Edward Santiago. Today we have the p pleasure of speaking with Jennifer DeGioia, a National Board Certified Teacher with 22 years of experience in the classroom. Jennifer is a passionate advocate for student-centered learning, a champion for c creating a classroom where students feel heard and seen, and a true inspiration to her students and colleagues.
00:00:22
Speaker
There's only three of us. And I'm the third one. And I thought, what? There's only
00:00:41
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Jennifer's dedication to her students and the profession has led her to achieve national board certification in 2024, just this past December. This is a testament to her commitment to excellence in education.
Professional Engagement
00:00:53
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She's also been actively involved in professional development, mentoring, aspiring educators, and serving on various boards and committees. Join us as we delve into Jennifer's journey as an educator, her insights on the challenges and the rewards of teaching and how she currently impacts the world of education.
00:01:09
Speaker
I won't hold you much longer. Here's my conversation with Jennifer DeGioia.
00:01:17
Speaker
Jennifer DeGioia, welcome to the episode. Congratulations on achievement. We just interviewed you back in April and now you're here on the big show. Thank you. Thank you for joining me. I'm excited to talk to you. Thank you. Thank you. I'm excited to be back. All right, so we'll get right into it. ah What's your current role and give a brief intro here.
00:01:37
Speaker
Sure. Hi, my name is Jennifer DeGioia. I'm currently a second grade teacher in the city of Montclair, California. We've been a teacher for about 22 years now, so just having fun every day. All right, so what are your three favorite foods?
00:01:52
Speaker
Okay, so my three favorite foods. This is always hard because I love different foods, but if I had to pick three favorites, I would definitely say um some freshly baked cookies are always delicious. I love chocolate chip myself. um I would say um some delicious tacos. I always love a good taco Tuesday or any day of the week. And then of course, just some homemade lasagna. Can't ever go wrong with that. There you go.
Personal Interests and Inspirations
00:02:16
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Three songs that shaped you.
00:02:19
Speaker
All right, three songs that shaped me. So I was just trying to think of like songs that I'm like, yeah, when I hear it, no matter what, these will pump me up. So I really, i you know, I love the Eye of the Tiger. um That's always a good one that'll get you, you know, like get everything going. um Throughout this journey, it's funny, um the song Under Pressure by Queen is kind of just like a personal theme song for myself that, you know, you just kind of have to just handle it and push through. You gotta have a personal head though.
00:02:48
Speaker
So I would consider that mine. And then I really love, um you know, I'm from Pittsburgh. I love the song from Flashdance, the theme song. So that's another one that really makes me feel inspired. So I say those are my top three. Okay. Okay. Given that you're from Pittsburgh, you if you have a big, do you have a sports fan? Do you have a sports team that has your heart or any movies you want to tie line for line?
00:03:08
Speaker
We're definitely on the stairway to seven with the Steelers. Wilson is looking great out there. So even though we had a tough day against the Eagles yesterday, that's okay.
00:03:20
Speaker
yeah okay Cross state battle there. Yeah, that was a tough one. That's always a hard one, but you know, maybe we'll see them
Career Motivation and Philosophy
00:03:30
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later. and All right, so can you share why you became an educator and remain in the field? You've been in there for 22 years. that's ah That's a good little chunk there.
00:03:39
Speaker
yeah Yeah, I feel really lucky that you know I've had such a long career. um you know I've always was kind of like the neighborhood babysitter. I always had a lot of fun you know playing with my little cousins and things like that. So I always really just always found a lot of joy working with kids. Then when I got older, um you know I thought, well, what could I do? I knew I wanted to be a mom. And I thought, what could I do that I could do both, where I could have a lot of time with my kids and then also have a great career? And so I chose education. um What keeps me here is just, you know, so I just really feel like it makes a meaningful impact. um Sometimes when I walk across campus, I work in an elementary school and I teach second grade and young elementary schoolers are just so adorable. You know, sometimes I think to myself, I wonder if this is how Taylor Swift feels because, you know, you walk across campus and they're just like, Mr. Joya, oh my gosh, hi, you know, and they're like run over and they just want to hug you and just smile and be around you. So
00:04:36
Speaker
just making that impact and then making sure that I'm you know ready to pay it forward to the next generation of teachers. All right so what were you like as a student and how does that influence your teaching style now?
00:04:49
Speaker
So as a student, um I always really liked reading. I actually just got certified MBCT in literacy, which is perfect. um I always liked reading a lot. I'd say I was curious, but not too confident. So I'd say that really helped to shape how I am as a teacher. I really focus on connecting with students, making sure they feel comfortable, making sure um it's okay to make mistakes and because that's the whole point of learning. So um that really, I think, shaped me as a teacher because when I was younger, I think my teachers maybe I always felt like they were a little bit too hard on me when I would make mistakes. um You know, they would try to like shame you, you know, back in the 80s and stuff like that. So I try hard not to do that. And I focus on creating like a supportive classroom where everybody feels seen and heard and they see themselves in books and, ah you know, they can see themselves in math problems and stuff like that. So that's how that influenced my teaching.
00:05:45
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Nice, nice. So
Certification Journey
00:05:47
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you touched on it. You just certified. Score release just passed. Yes. Describe the emotions you experienced in the days and weeks leading up to score release. Okay, so it's very emotional, to be honest. um I tried not to think about it. When I turned everything in in May, I really tried to disconnect. um I had talked on my earlier podcast visit that I had planned a trip to Hawaii, and my kids and I had an amazing time. um So that far out, I was just like, okay, that's all I could do. like I just have to give it up to the universe. I did the best I could. I really tried hard to think that like I turned in something that's 100%. This is the best I could possibly do.
00:06:24
Speaker
So I just thought, like, there's nothing else I could do. But then... the final weeks came up and MBCT started emailing like, don't forget, scores are coming out, get ready. So, you know, I kind of had to start thinking about it. So then I went back on the Facebook groups I belong to, and everybody was, you know, anticipating things and saying like, why got this email? Did you get this email? And I noticed that this changed on the website. And I was like, well, they haven't changed for me. So that I started going through all the self doubt, like, Oh, no, they're getting stuff and I'm not getting stuff. So that probably means that I'm not going to certify.
00:06:58
Speaker
So it was just a big roller coaster. um I tried not to involve many people at all. I didn't really bring it up at work. Not um for a couple reasons. um I was nervous that I wasn't going to certify and then I would be embarrassed and I'd have to tell a lot of people that I didn't certify. And then also, you know, um it's emotional. I didn't want everybody to have to go through all those motions with me. So I totally opened the scores by myself, you know, and then I shared with people after that.
00:07:26
Speaker
So um leading up to it, the final days before were very, very up and down, ah but ultimately positive at the end, thank goodness, because oh my God, I couldn't even, it ah, that's hard. So you submitted everything in one year, but it took you more than one year to finally submit and take that plunge. What were your thoughts as you reflected before submitting during all those years?
00:07:52
Speaker
Yes. um you know I'm really glad that I did that. um What I didn't notice about going through this process was how self-reflective it would be. um I just thought that, okay, I've been teaching for this long. All I have to do is show what I'm doing. and Then when I got in there and I started reading the standards, I was like, oh man, you know I need to make sure that and I'm at the level. so I was really glad I took the extra time and made sure that I was ready um because I see a lot of people resubmitting or having to resubmit. And you know they're saying things like, you know maybe I rushed or maybe I didn't take the time to really do it. So I felt ah really good about that. um
00:08:33
Speaker
So just really making sure you know that I was just just ready to go, ready, prepared, and in turn turn everything in. So I feel good about it. But I did do all four components in one year, ultimately. So the first year I felt like, OK, I'm not ready. And I um didn't do anything. The second year I started to try to work into it. And then I thought, OK, I need to get my level up. And then the third year I felt like, OK, everything's lined up. Let's go. Let's do all four. You got this. And I did it.
00:09:03
Speaker
And you said, and you certified. Congratulations. Yeah. So on the previous podcast, you spoke about how you didn't have much support within your school. oh Was there, and you you were able to stay in in touch with like social media and all that stuff. Was there any coaching or conversations you got over social media or anything through your support from there in California that really helped you along in the process?
00:09:26
Speaker
Yes, well, you know, I got really lucky, thankfully for social media. You know, it's so funny. It's my friend who I worked with at McDonald's in high school. So we're talking about in like, nineteen like so long ago, he posted on Facebook, his wife in Pennsylvania, her maintenance of certification. And it just so happened to be in literacy. And I thought, Thank you, I finally found someone, you know, because I couldn't find anybody, anybody that a I only really asked one mentor, and she just said no, she wasn't, you know, she was too busy.
00:09:59
Speaker
um And then I found another MBCT in my district, but she was totally different certification area. So she was helpful to ask a couple questions. But you know, when I actually met someone who went through, went through everything already that I was going through, and I could kind of, you know, bounce my ideas off someone, finally, that was that was so ah ah such a huge relief. But then also, it's so much work. I also tried hard not to be like, can you read all of my 42 pages and see how it looks? So it was more just, um you know, just asking her things and listening to her feedback and then still just making sure that I did my own thing and never really had a reader or anything like that. um I just really um
00:10:44
Speaker
felt comfortable just trusting myself. you know But i'd I'd say that from those two mentors that I did get to talk to, that's the message that I got. Trust yourself. like You know what you're doing. You've been doing this for so long. um Just make sure that you are highlighting everything you do to meet the standards and you'll be fine. So I was so glad that I met those two mentors. And honestly, shockingly, in my district, my district is so amazing. I work in the Ontario Montclair School District.
00:11:12
Speaker
in Southern California. And um I just assumed we had a ton of NBCT's like every there's so many great teachers. There's only three of us. And I was and I'm the third one. And I thought, what, there's only three. So that was, you know, really eye opening. And I was just, you know, I wish that my district um would push this more because I feel like I am a better teacher just having gone through this process.
00:11:39
Speaker
Yeah, so on that so on that point, did the process change your approach to professional development and collaboration?
Impact of Certification on Professional Development
00:11:45
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. you know um I work at a very collaborative school, luckily, but you know now I'm more focused on you know reflecting you know with just evidence-based materials, you know, what are we looking at here? What can we do to move this forward? um So I think that it's really helped me to reflect more, you know, self reflection, seeing what I'm doing, not so much like, oh, well the kids aren't getting this, you know, like, well, wait, hold on, what are you not doing that you need to change to make sure that
00:12:20
Speaker
that we're meeting their needs. So I really find that after this process, I seek out opportunities to collaborate with my ah the colleagues that I really find positive connections with um and then sharing strategies that work for us. So that's been working for me. So I know you just achieved, but looking back, if you what would you tell your pre-MBCT self about the journey ahead?
00:12:45
Speaker
Yes, I would tell myself it's going to be hard, but worth it, but trust yourself. So take it one step at a time and embrace the growth that comes from it, but you know what you're doing. So make sure that you can share that with everybody.
00:13:05
Speaker
Okay, okay. Now we're going to get into some teacher
Advice and Advocacy
00:13:07
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recruitment. So if you had to sell the education profession to someone looking to get into it in one to two minutes, what would you use as your elevator pitch? Yes. Well, you know, I would pitch that education is about making a difference every single day. So as a teacher, you have the opportunity to inspire, to shape and guide the next generation. So you become a champion for your students, for their potential, for their growth and their dreams. And it's challenging work, but also some of the most rewarding work that you'll ever do. So you don't just teach content, you're going to change lives. So definitely become a teacher.
00:13:42
Speaker
Hey, let listen, we strong pitches. So last one, we have a feature on the podcast called the shoulder
Episode Conclusion
00:13:49
Speaker
tap. So you're going to have to start one at your school shoulder tap, like thing, shoulder to tap cascade at your school to get everybody national board certified. yeah So you tap someone on the shoulder and let them know they're ready to become national board certified. Here, you're going to give them a quick shout out.
00:14:04
Speaker
and we'll encourage them on social media to go through the process. Yes. So Jennifer, who are you shoulder tapping today? So I would like to shoulder tap my coworker, Jessica. You can find her on Instagram, teaching with Ms. Contreras. Mrs. Contreras, I think, yeah, teaching with Mrs. Contreras.
00:14:22
Speaker
um She's such an amazing teacher and you know as I was going through the process and I would read some of the standards, I would think this is her. you know and I told her that too. like I really think you should do this too um because she's already at the level. that's what i That's what I think it is. You really just have to be at the level and I think that she is. so I would like to shout out my colleague Jessica. I think you're ready. so Here's my shoulder tap and I think you should be at the NBC team.
00:14:49
Speaker
All right, Jessica, you up. We hope you we hope you start next year. Jennifer DeGioia, thank you for joining me on the podcast. Thank you. Good to see you. Thank you to Jennifer DeGioia for joining me today and sharing her incredible story. Her passion for education and her dedication to her students are truly inspiring. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to National Board of Conversations on your favorite podcast platform and leave us a review.
00:15:12
Speaker
We'd love to hear your feedback. Remember to check out our show notes and for links to Jennifer's work and the organization she's involved with. Until next time, stay inspired and keep striving for excellence in education. Thanks for listening and see you next episode.