Meet Jennifer White

Jennifer White appreciates when her Middle School students mess up. As a fifth-grade science teacher since 2012 and dean of the fifth and sixth grades, she encourages girls to “learn from their mistakes and understand why they happened.” Whether students are building a gravity-defying marble roller coaster, working out a tricky formula, or dealing with a challenging middle school-specific situation, “there’s a lot of trial and error. I try to stress to my students that, in science, you try until you get it to work the way you want it, or you find a new way to make something happen. It’s a great life lesson.”

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in north-central Ohio.

Have you always known you wanted to be a teacher?

Yes! Growing up, I was always the teacher when playing school with friends or my younger siblings. I looked up to my teachers. They were very influential people, and teaching seemed like a rewarding job in different ways. And it is!

What three personality traits should a teacher have?

Flexibility, compassion, and a committed work ethic.

What’s the best part of your job?

The students, definitely, but also the faculty. We are a really great team, and we help each other out in many ways. We don’t teach in isolation here. 

What’s your favorite Agnes Irwin tradition?

Any time we bring all three divisions together, especially on the first day of school, when the seniors walk into the gym hand-in-hand with the pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade girls. In moments like those, the common denominator is the girls, and it feels like everybody has an appreciation for what each other brings to the school community.

What’s your teaching philosophy?

When it comes to education, having strong fundamentals — reading, writing and math — is critical. Without those solid foundational skills, you don’t have anything to build on.

What impresses you about Agnes Irwin students?

I admire all that they manage. Between athletics, the arts, and their academic load, I'm amazed by how much they can do.

What is your morning routine?

I usually go for a 3- to 4-mile run, which clears my head for the day or gets my mental to-do list going. Then my daughter, who is a sophomore, and I arrive at school, and we go our separate ways. In Middle School, we either start our mornings in Parliament, in an assembly, or in a class meeting, so my day always begins with community.

What’s something funny about Agnes Irwin students?

Their wide interpretation of the shade of navy blue.

What's one piece of advice for every middle school student?

My advice is “It will be okay.” Whether you receive a grade you didn't want, or there’s a friendship hiccup that happens, it will be okay.

What's your dream trip?

I want to visit Belfast in Northern Ireland. My paternal grandmother was from there, so it would be fun to go and meet family.

How has being a parent of an Agnes Irwin student changed the way you see the school?

As an educator here, I was aware of how deeply my fellow faculty members knew their students – both as learners and as people. But I’ve developed an even greater appreciation for it as I watch the relationship my daughter has built with her teachers in her first year here. Their care and willingness to help her succeed is special to see.