Mrs Laura Jenkins
Teaching Awards 2007 Winner
The TDA Award for Outstanding New Teacher of the Year in West of England
Bucklers Mead Community School, YEOVIL
Science is never boring for students in Laura Jenkins’ classes.
This bright, recently qualified teacher has already made a name for herself with her “wacky” lessons – demonstrating the food chain by joining pupils together with string being one such memorable occasion: “It helps us to understand it when we see it like that and if we have fun we remember it!” said one grateful year 7 student. “We never leave a lesson without learning something new”, said another. “Her lessons are always fun, never boring; she always makes everybody part of it,” according to a third.
Laura’s head of department has been struck by her vitality, professionalism and inventiveness. “Incredible”; “imaginative” “creative” are just some of the adjectives he uses: “She puts the rest of us to shame.”
Laura’s teaching assistants talk of a woman who can pitch her lessons “perfectly at the student’s level” and students queue up for her booster classes.
Laura Jenkins has traditional expectations that her students be orderly and well-prepared for lessons; but in return she provides a learning experience that is both exciting and relevant. She enables students to learn in their preferred way and presents appropriate activities, even making science “games” to add spice to their revision. She is willing to engage as many learning approaches as possible to help students achieve their potential. If one approach is not working, she will try another.
Parents praise her as an excellent communicator who always takes the trouble to write notes home, alerting them to their children’s’ strengths and difficulties. Although new to teaching, Laura has already been promoted as year 7coordinator. Although still young, she has had a huge impact on her school.
