Why does Mastery’s Jessica Shive LOVE her work?

A special education teacher at Pickett, Jessica loves the people that she works with every day.

“I love our students and staff and they keep me in this. I’ve met so many unique and wonderful people at Mastery through my eight years here. I’m from here, the Philadelphia suburbs, and I went to Temple, but with the Mastery network, I’ve been able to work with people from all over the place; I’m friends with people I would have never met.”

 

Jessica has spent eight years with Mastery, spending four years at Thomas working with 11^th and 12^th graders before moving to Pickett. Within that time, she’s gained a strong sense of confidence and an appreciated for self-care, which has taught her that every day she can make an impact on a student, whether it’s big or small.

 

“Sometimes people think I’m overly positive, but some days can be super frustrating. I try my best to put myself in the shoes of my students and their families. You can’t save the world, but the small impacts you make do make a difference,” said Jessica. “The team at Mastery – principals, supervisors, staff – they remind you that your work is important, that you are valued, and that you need to take care of yourself as well.”

 

“Now, with the current climate, our work is more important than ever,” said Jessica. “It’s important that we take care of ourselves so that we can be there for our kids and our communities.”