Welcome back, readers of The Shield, to another interview! Today, we have the honor of being able to interview Miss Zimmerman. Everything about her classroom exudes positive vibes. She is always fun to talk to, and her room is full of positive signs and happy colors. She is upbeat and excited to help her students any way she can. She also has a pit bull named Ziggy. We sincerely thank her for taking the time out of her day to do this interview!
What were the reasons you decided to pursue teaching as a career? Was it an instinctive decision, or did you consider other jobs before teaching?
I was a mechanical engineering major for a full year before I switched to education. I look up to one of the science teachers I had at East Peoria High School, and he inspired me to become a science teacher!
Before you taught full time here, you had student taught with Mr. Linden. What did you like most about it?
It was fun to get to know the Richwoods culture and environment. I especially loved the theme weeks! The vibes of theme weeks were so fun that they influenced my decision to come teach here at Richwoods.
Where did you go to college, what degrees did you get from there, and what were your high school and college like?
I went to college at Bradley University and got a dual degree in Biology and High School Education. Although East Peoria High School had a great environment, it lacked the diversity that I was looking for, which is something I appreciate about Richwoods. I really enjoyed Bradley but especially the Starbucks on campus.
What is your Starbucks order, then?
A venti iced caramel macchiato with oat milk.
If you could visit any place in the world for one week, where would you go?
I would love to go to Disneyland and do all the things there, because I am hoping it will be better than the incredibly warm Disneyworld.
What are your hobbies outside of school?
Trying new coffee shops, hanging out with my dog and husband and whatever they like to do, and trying to find the motivation to read.
What is your best piece of advice for high school?
Stay out of the drama; in the long run, drama does not matter, but your experiences and successes do! Don’t let someone diminish something you love.
Why did you decide to teach Biology specifically, and what do you like to teach most in Biology?
The reason I teach science is because I want to teach students that science is all around us, and that everyone is a scientist in their own way. My favorite thing to teach is DNA and how cool it makes all of us. I chose Biology as it is the least math-intensive science discipline; I do not particularly enjoy teaching math.
If you could have a lunch meeting with any living person, who would you choose and why?
I would choose Taylor Swift, because it would be super cool to get to know someone so much larger than life on a personal level.
What are you most excited about for this coming school year?
Getting to know all my students and building relationships with them. I am also excited to prepare my AP Biology students for college.
We thank Miss Zimmerman for taking the time out of her busy day to do this interview! She is always helping her students and doing her best to make sure that their environment is as supportive as possible.
