An Interview with Gabe Jenkins
by Mr. Jenkins' Leadership Class
December 08, 2006
Mr. Jenkins' 1st Period Leadership Class sat down with him several weeks ago in order to find out what makes him tick. Readers will be interested to see how he responded when students grilled him with the following hard-hitting interview questions:
What is your name?
Gabe Jenkins
What do you teach?
I teach a Leadership elective class, and 4 periods of 7th Grade Life Science to some of the greatest kids around. I teach the students from Team SAFE, along with Mr. Packman, Ms. Izenberg, and Ms. Ortega.
What is your room number?
I'm in Room 33, in the 30-wing building.
How long have you been a teacher?
This is my second official year teaching. I taught both 7th grade and 8th grade science classes 3 years ago here at Edna Brewer, and then spent the last two years working with Ms. Marantz, Ms. Martin, Mr. Campbell, and everybody else up in the front office. So, this is my first year back in the classroom after a couple of years away. And let me tell you: it's really fun to be back teaching.
How long have you been a teacher at Edna Brewer?
This is my 4th year here at Brewer. You know, for those people who weren't around a few years ago, they might be amazed to see just how much this place has improved in just 4 years. Ms. Marantz came in and worked really hard with the teachers and the parents--the parents have been incredible--to look closely at every aspect of the school in order to see what we could improve. And the transformation has been really quite impressive: basically, just about everything at the school has improved by leaps and bounds: the culture & climate of the school, academic performance, how nice the school looks--everything!
What made you want to teach at Edna Brewer instead of another school?
Well, the district sent me to meet with Ms. Marantz, and I loved her energy and enthusiasm for the project of transforming Brewer into a highly functioning public middle school. In addition, I thought that her no-nonsense attitude would help to make that happen. So, I decided I wanted to work here after talking to her for about an hour. Then, once I started working here, I began to really, really respect the students, and enjoy spending time with them--with you! You're really amazing, smart, cool kids, and I am thankful that I get to spend most of my day with you all.
Where did you go to college?
I went to Harvard College.
What is your favorite thing about teaching 7th grade science?
Well, lots of things. I think the subject matter itself is pretty interesting because it's all about our own bodies and how they work: how your muscles move, how your digestive system does what it does--do you remember the Raisin Bran and the large intestine day?--how our heart and lungs work, why we look the way we look, how we reproduce: all that I think is pretty interesting by itself. You can also do a lot of cool dissections in the 7th grade, which I think is also pretty fun.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I read a lot: I used to read a lot of science books & fiction, but lately I've been reading a lot of comic books and graphic novels (like "Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth," which is awesome!). I also like to watch sports, particularly the University of North Carolina Tar Heel basketball team. And, I also spend a lot of my spare time with my wife, Amy.
What was your first job?
I babysat when I was your age, and I got paid for that, so I guess you could say that that was my first job. My first "real" job was as a Camp Counselor at a sports camp in St. Louis, where I grew up. After college, my first REAL job was in finance, where I worked as an Equity Research Analyst in New York, analyzing stocks of technology companies. I did that for 5 1/2 years, until I couldn't take it anymore, and decided to do something both harder and more interesting: teaching.
On a scale of one to ten, how mean are you to your students?
I don't know, you tell me. I try to make sure students do what they are supposed to do so that they can have the best chance of learning this material, and sometimes that means enforcing rules. I hope I'm not mean, but I do hope I'm strict.
Why did you want to be a teacher?
It seems to me to be one of the most important jobs in the world, and honestly, it can be really fun.
Has any student ever made you so mad that you wanted to quit your job?
Not yet...
Do you like having Ms. Marantz as your boss?
I do.
Do you have a teacher's pet?
Yes, but not the kind you're asking about I have 3: Chico (a bearded dragon), and Darwin and D'NA (two Madagascar Day Geckos).
Did you have a high school love?
Yes.
Do you have kids?
Not yet.
What do you think students think of you?
I'm not really sure.
Who is your most favorite person in the world?
My wife, Amy.
Who is your least favorite person in the world?
It's not just one person, but I really don't like it when people are mean to people who are less fortunate.
