Meet Jason!

Each month, the Tutor Spotlight will showcase a Sunshine Method tutor who has illuminated the path for students, going the extra mile to inspire and engage them towards lifelong success.

Jason is a Sunshiner who works with children in South Florida. He originally worked in medical sales before discovering his passion for education, especially supporting some of our most vulnerable communities. As a father, the parenting instinct influences a lot of the work Jason does with his students.

Join our conversation with Jason below:

Hi Jason, thank you so much for sitting down with us! We can't wait to dive in with you. Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got into education?

I started out substitute teaching at my son's school when he was maybe about 8 years old. I was working as an office manager for a medical training business when I started substitute teaching, and at that point I had already been a parent for 8 years. I took a real liking to being with the kids, teaching them and just seeing them. I was working with kids that had special needs, including kids in the autism clusters at the school that he was at.

[The school] ended up wanting to hire me full time. I took a pay cut to go into teaching as an assistant. It was just something I really enjoyed, and wanted to pursue as a career. I did the autism cluster for two years, then I went to gen ed for third grade and fifth grade during my last 3 years that I was there. During that time period I was getting all my certifications done through the state and getting my testing done, and then I landed a teaching job at a charter school that I was with for 5 years and taught third grade math and science.

Once I got my professional certification, I moved over to doing Title One intervention. I pulled the kids out of class for reading and math support.  I'm doing kindergarten through 12th grade now for reading and math for the kids that I pull. 

That's an incredible journey you took to get to where you are! What was it that motivated you?

When I was a substitute teacher, I really enjoyed being with the kids and seeing them learning and growing. Just seeing their little personalities. With kids you really create a bond with them. It's a very family oriented environment. As I got older and I had my own my own child, being a parent opens your eyes up to a lot of other things. That parental instinct kind of just kicks in.

A lot of educators can relate to the bond we develop with the children. Is there a moment that stands out to you as one of your best experiences?

I really don't have one instance per se. It's more of just enjoying the process of seeing the kids growth. When they start retaining things and applying new things that they previously weren't really sure of without me assisting them.

If I was like, “you remember from last week, we did this, you want to try this on your own?”, and just to see how much they're retaining when I'm not sitting with them until the next week. Seeing that is very rewarding, just to see the growth they make.

It's great when you get to see their self-confidence growing! Is there something a child has ever taught you?

Funny story, I had a couple of my students, not this past year, it was when I was working in the charter school. They taught me not to take yourself so seriously. To have a sense of humor. They put it all out there. They don't have any reservations. They kind of brought me out of my shell. [They showed me] to just be myself, not to be so hard on myself or be a perfectionist. They are very resilient with things, and they are not afraid of making mistakes or feeling embarrassed. I think that rubs off when you’re with them all the time.

That's a great lesson to learn! What role do you believe education plays in a child's life?

I think it plays an extremely important role. I like to impart in them the importance of having a growth mindset about learning, and thinking about how that's going to apply as they grow up and get older. Just really trying to help them enjoy what they're learning as much as possible. I'm trying to make things interesting for them when we're doing different topics. Discussing things about how it applies to real life. Even with reading stories, and math problems, I think that it's just trying to help them to have that inner motivation and drive to learn and to enjoy the learning process.

I want them to understand that making mistakes along the way is part of the learning process and not to get discouraged if they don't get something. I kind of think about teaching, part of it is academic lessons, but it's also life lessons and social lessons. Just helping them to navigate things as they grow and get older.

We are always learning, no matter what we're doing! You've been a tutor with us for some time now, what do you think it takes to be a tutor with The Sunshine Method?

I think that you have to have a high-level of commitment to the kids that you’re with. Developing relationships with the kids and getting to know them, not just on an academic level, but also on a personal level. What they like, what they’re interested in, you know, what kind of things they like to do on the weekends. To have those conversations and get to know them, and not just treat it like this is only academics. To have them understand that you’re there for their best interest and to help support them, not just to teach them their ABC’s and 123’s.

We couldn't agree more! What advice would you give to other tutors?

The main thing I can say is to be reliable and consistent in being there for the kids. Be committed to the kids. Try to research things outside of your lessons to think about what’s the best way to support your students based on observations when you’re with them. I know that kids have different learning styles, and are not going to always learn in the same way. Some kids might need more concrete help, like using manipulatives, especially for math. Some kids might be interested in certain kinds of stories and reading. 

Put the effort into trying to build them up and support them in any way that you can. Have their best interest in mind, even when you're not sitting in front of them.

That's great advice! What is the best advice you’ve received as an educator?

One of the main things that I took away when I was just starting teaching was to try not to overdo your personality with the kids, and just try to be yourself. They are gonna love you either way, and you’re going to develop a relationship with them just for yourself.

Don’t worry too much about being like this way, or being that way, like how you see other teachers do things. It’s more about just being yourself, and making your own way with developing relationship with your kids. Be authentic with your kids and the rest will come.

Authenticity is so important with any kind of relationship. What would you tell a child who is struggling in school, or lacking confidence?

One of the things that I’ve seen a lot over the years is a quote that says “mistakes are proof that you’re trying”. I try to instill that for my kids that are struggling with certain things. I always tell my kids, “you know, it’s okay to make mistakes, and the most important thing is that you’re trying and eventually you’ll get it." 

What I normally talk to my kids about is how to instill that growth mindset, and when they’re working on different things, if they are frustrated, it’s [reminding them] it’s okay. It’s just part of the process.

We really appreciate you joining us today! There’s just one final question for you, what are your goals for your students in the future?

My main hope is to instill inside them the joy of learning, and the motivation to keep educating themselves. I also tell them learning doesn’t stop the minute you leave school. I try to instill in them that education can take place anywhere, whether it’s at a school, at their house, at the zoo, at the aquarium, or wherever they're at, there’s always things that they can learn.

I want them to have that curiosity and motivation to keep learning in life and not get discouraged. If they can’t get something the first time they try things (and it doesn’t have to be academic), whether it’s learning an instrument or playing a sport or whatever it is, just to always bring that mindset into things that they’re doing. That “I can get better at this” you know.  

When I walked in to start teaching, I knew how to do certain things but, I was like a blank slate. I had no background in teaching strategies. I had to swallow my own medicine. I knew I wasn't gonna get everything the first minute I walked in the door. I had to learn all these teaching strategies from other teachers I worked with. I’m still learning things every day. Even as teachers, we are consistently learning new things. I just want to make sure that they have that same type of motivation and curiosity in their own lives.