Longfellow is home to over 1200 students taught by a hard-working staff dedicated to helping those students learn. Teacher’s actions, lessons, and relationships with students impact both their learning and their attitudes about school. This regular feature will focus on a favorite teacher chosen in conversation with students.
If there’s one quality students love in a teacher, it is a sense that they like what they do. History teacher Jane Layton has certainly convinced her students that she not only likes teaching but appreciates her students.
“She’s really nice,” explained 7th grader Aanya S., “She’s enthusiastic as a teacher. You can tell she likes her kids.”
Layton became a teacher because she has a passion for history and because she loves to see how her students progress through their lives and what they will end up being in the future.
“I love seeing my students go in all different directions with their lives,” said Layton. “They take their education and become doctors, lawyers, dentists, engineers, or rocket scientists, you know? There’s so many different avenues they can use their education for, and everything has a history.”
Layton keeps students engaged with games to help them prepare for their tests and quizzes. These were a favorite among her students, but that’s not the only thing.
“She is really good at teaching, she makes sure we understand every aspect of the subject,” said her student Angelina.
When it comes to history Ms. Layton loves to learn about people’s experiences and stories.
“My grandmother used to be the greatest storyteller and my dad had a lot of that in him, too. He used to tell me stories about history, you know, things that happened in their lives when they were young.”
According to her students, she brings that enthusiasm for stories to her classroom.
“She is very thorough in her lectures and very into the lessons. She brings a lot of emotion,” said Whitney H.
Layton has not only inspired Longfellow Students but has brought her skills to a surprising location; she used to teach in a prison. Not only that, she found it to be a very rewarding experience.
“The men appreciated the opportunity to go to school. They worked without complaint to learn reading, writing, and history, and they treated their teachers with respect,” said Layton.
Layton describes herself as being good at finding solutions and seeing the bigger picture. Her students are lucky to have her helping them to see the big picture that history presents as we face an unknown future.
