Jessica Barbera

Honolulu, HI | K-6, Science, 2022

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

I’m motivated to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching because I believe that STEM education empowers students to become problem-solvers, innovators, and critical thinkers, skills that are essential in today’s rapidly evolving world.

What has been the most transformative moment that affirmed your impact on STEM education?

One of the most transformative moments was when a student who had always struggled with math and reading approached me after a STEM project and said, "I didn't know I could be good at this." We had just finished a hands-on engineering challenge where students had to design and test their car ramp. This student, who usually stayed quiet during lessons, led her team with creative ideas and problem-solving strategies. Watching her discover her strengths in a STEM context affirmed how powerful student-centered, inquiry-based learning can be. It reminded me that when we shift our approach and provide opportunities for all learners to engage deeply, we open the door for students to reimagine what they're capable of

Using your platform as a Presidential Awardee, how do you hope to advance our nation in STEM?

As a Presidential Awardee, I see this platform as a responsibility and an opportunity to advocate for equitable and engaging STEM education for all students. My goal is to help build a generation of students who see themselves as capable innovators, regardless of their background, and to contribute to a national culture that values curiosity, collaboration, and creative problem-solving in STEM.

Biography

Jessica Barbera has been an educator for 11 years and is currently the literacy coach at Jefferson Elementary School. She previously taught kindergarten for over eight years and taught at Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School for one year. Jessica's deep understanding and command of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts, mathematics, NGSS, and Hawaii core standards for social studies are evident in her lessons. She masterfully places science at the center of her thematic units, with English language arts, mathematics, history, and art interwoven into her project-based experiences. When Jessica was in the classroom, she was excellent at incorporating technology and has acquired Osmo kits, Sphero robots, Animation Studios, 3D pens, and Botley robots to enrich the learning of all her kindergarteners. Jessica strives to help every student in her classes reach their highest potential. Differentiation of multi-sensory instructional strategies is built into her lessons, and she naturally targets the learning needs of all her students. As a teacher leader and life learner, Jessica served as a Hawaii state teacher fellowship and school mentor for upcoming teachers. She actively participated in professional development opportunities, learning new strategies and project ideas to support her students. Jessica has a B. A degree in Elementary Education from Hawaiʻi Pacific University. She holds a Hawaiʻi Teachers Standards Board license in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and Elementary Education. She is certified in kindergarten through sixth-grade elementary education.

High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

The views expressed in awardee profiles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF or the PAEMST program.