Change is constant. Everyone experiences change, expected or unexpected. While change can be difficult, it can also be very positive. It’s a process that’s essential to growth and for Highland teacher Andrea Jensen, a career change was just what she had been looking for.
While some are meeting Jensen for the first time as the new PE teacher, most already know her as one of Highland’s art teachers. Jensen has been teaching various arts classes at the school for the past two years including sculpture, art foundations, and art history. While she continues to teach a period of art foundations and very much still loves art, you won’t be seeing her in the art hall as much because she’ll be busy in the gym.
“They cut my position as an art teacher […] and I just kind of worked with Jeremy (Chatterton) to be like ‘I’d love to teach something different.’” Jensen said. “Before that even happened, I was kind of telling my husband ‘I’m kind of ready for a career change and I kind of want it to be in fitness.”
This career change was unexpected, but Jensen is ready and excited to share her passion for exercise with others.
Jensen grew up in Illinois playing sports and spending a lot of time outdoors. She played volleyball, basketball, and ran cross country. Even though she doesn’t participate in as many team sports these days, Jensen still leads an extremely active life. She runs, bikes, swims, hikes, goes backpacking, camping, rock climbs and more. She even does triathlons. She simply loves everything outside.
So how might one find similarities between the world of art and the world of fitness? It turns out there are a couple.
To graduate from Highland, students are required to earn 1.5 fine arts credits and 1.5 physical education credits. This can make class dynamics interesting.
“They’re big classes and they’re all required,” Jensen said. “So, you have students who want to be there and students who don’t want to be there. And you kind of have to motivate everybody.”
How you approach these subjects is important. These classes are different from other classes. You don’t have to memorize terms and take a written test on them; you just need to participate.
“If they see progress, that’s really fulfilling. That’s very different from a lot of other subjects. Seeing improvement is part of both,” Jensen said.
Using her positive approach, Jensen is ready to make this year a great one.
