Photo By: Baxter
English teacher challenges young minds.
Teachers are a very important part of every child’s education. They help shape who the individual becomes and can have a very powerful impact on their life. Here at Thomas Jefferson High School, the outstanding teachers go above and beyond what they are required to do. English teacher Jeffrey Almond is one of those amazing teachers.
Almond obtained his Bachelor’s degree in literature in 1998 from the University of Colorado Boulder, and received his secondary teaching certificate from University of Colorado, Denver in 2004. Working with and challenging young minds is just one of the many skills that he brings to the table. “I like connecting with different personalities. It’s challenging, but rewarding to make connection with students,” Almond expressed. In this way, his relationship with his students is key to his effectiveness as a teacher.
Almond teaches Honors English 1 to freshmen and Honors English 2 to sophomores. “Everytime we go into his class, we are guaranteed a smile,” freshman Jude Shaw mentioned. Almond has worked at Thomas Jefferson for 12 years, but before becoming a teacher, he worked at Denver Health in the adolescent psychiatry unit. This gave him experience in working with kids before serving as a long term substitute teacher in DPS. In 2008, he became a full time teacher at TJ.
During his free time, Almond likes to spend time with his three kids, doing activities such as ice skating. He also enjoys practicing music with his band, as music has always been a part of his life. At one point, he worked temporary jobs just to save up money in order to go on tour with his band; he is currently the bassist in a band called The Breezy Porticos.
Now more than ever, a teacher who is dedicated to education is critical to help drive students to succeed, and it is essential to helping to develop educated young adults. This is where Almond shines: encouraging students to be better versions of themselves.
