A somber cloud lured overhead when Dr. Jo Lee moved to Findlay, Ohio with her family as a young girl. Their small-town Kentucky home had burned down, but supportive family members and future opportunities awaited in the new state.
Graduating from the Findlay school district, Lee decided to attend The Ohio State University and obtained her bachelor’s degree in animal science. Initially believing her passion was to become a veterinarian, Lee realized the emotional hardships associated with the career and decided to go a different route.
For a while, Lee owned and operated Pebbles-n-Pearls, making jewelry. But after getting married, selling her brick and mortar business, buying a house and having two children, Lee knew she wanted to work with kids.
“So, I went back to school and got my master’s and teaching license,” she says. “The only school I applied for was Grandview because I knew that this is where I wanted to be. … It’s the closest to the little town I grew up in; it reminded me so much of home that it just felt like home when I was here.”
Since being hired to teach at Grandview Heights High School about 10 years ago, Lee has coordinated educational trips with students, applied her artistic abilities to extracurricular activities and obtained her education doctorate degree (Ed.D.) in science education, among many other things.
The only school I applied for was Grandview because I knew that this is where I wanted to be. … It’s the closest to the little town I grew up in; it reminded me so much of home that it just felt like home when I was here.
Obtaining her Ed.D.
For two and half years, Lee juggled her career, her family and working towards her Ed.D. at the University of Findlay.
“It took a lot to balance, but it was a longstanding goal for myself,” she says. “I wanted to set the example for my kids and my students that lifelong learning is important.”
Lee says her family – her two children, Blaine and Alayna, and her husband, Brian – was encouraging and understanding of her schedule. Her mother, who she calls her hero, was an educator herself and inspired Lee to become the best possible teacher.
“The doctorate degree, it was a team effort. My family and my mother were all very supportive,” she says. “But I wanted to be the best I could be at what I do, so I took the time to complete it.”
Lee finished the degree by writing a 100-plus-page dissertation about homework preferences for students with low self-regulation. After a year’s worth of research, Lee learned that students who have difficulty regulating their learning have trouble taking on new teaching strategies, such as indirect teaching styles in which students learn from home, then practice the lessons in the classroom.
Because of these findings, Lee has modified some of her teaching styles and believes her instructing skills have improved.
“I think I have a lot more strategies and tools to work with,” she says. “I learned a tremendous amount from it, the process along was challenging, and I think it’s important to continue to challenge yourself.”
An Extra Step
Teaching AP Physics and AP Chemistry can be mentally stressful and time-consuming, but Lee is making sure to find extra time to relax and have fun.
Her outlet is still to create and sell her earth-inspired jewelry online and at local festivals. Her creativity has also helped GHHS; for two years, she’s sewn costumes for the school’s theater program, a skill she learned at a young age from her mother, and now teaches to her children.
“I really enjoy theater and the performing arts,” Lee says. “I guess helping with the musical at our school is my way of giving back. It makes it even more rewarding to see how talented and amazing our kids are when they perform on stage and work together as a crew.”
It makes sense that Lee would combine all her interests and lead GHHS Quiz Team, a group of students dedicated to learning and being tested on every high school-level subject.
Learning Under the Sea
Lee’s love for working with students goes far beyond the U.S. border. Last summer, Lee organized an educational trip to Curaçao Island, a Caribbean locale home to CARMABI Research Station, where coral reefs are studied.
Sixteen students attended and went on 18 scuba diving adventures, both during the day and night, with Lee and other professionals. Lee, who has been scuba diving for 20 years, says the kids loved it, but her favorite part was diving in the darker hours.
“I wanted (the students) to see some active research that was going on. … and the kids had such a blast with it,” Lee says. “And seeing the different marine life at night – I saw an octopus for the first time, some huge spiny lobsters – but you can do the exact same dive, and you do it at night, and it’s totally different.”
And for students who missed this opportunity, Lee is hoping to head back down this June for another learning adventure.
Always More to Do
As of right now, Lee says she just wants to wrap her head around teaching AP Physics, a new class she took on this school year. She says she’ll find a new challenge eventually, but enjoying time with her family on camping trips and seeing coral reefs is currently on her to-do list.
Planning to retire at GHHS, Lee says her favorite part about teaching is the students and will always be the students.
“The kids are amazing,” she says. “I think it makes life a lot more interesting to get to see people growing intellectually and maturing; it makes my day.”
Lydia Freudenberg is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at jwise@cityscenemediagroup.com
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