Women’s History Month celebrates and recognizes the accomplishments of women who have paved the way for future generations and have a lasting impact on society. Within Charlottesville High School, we are lucky to have female faculty members who support and empower students everyday, along with creating a safe and comfortable environment for all students to learn in. KTR interviewed a few of our amazing female teachers, asking a slew of questions such about being a woman in the education field.
Jodi Wolff-Coussoulos is one of CHS’s beloved geometry teachers. When asked what being a woman in the education field means to her, she reflected on her experience in college and how it led her to being the teacher she is today. “When I was in college, taking mathematics courses, it was a male-dominated major. One of my goals as a female math teacher has always been to give girls more confidence in math.”
When asked about any setbacks and obstacles that she had to overcome just by being a woman, she replied with “I grew up in a family where I was taught I was capable of anything, and my parents were very against gender roles. At a young age, I learned to build things, fix what was broken, and that I was physically strong. As a woman, it has always been a pet peeve of mine when I get looked over for tasks just because I am a woman. You need help moving a couch, mowing the lawn, building a deck…I’m your girl. I, however, have been lucky because I have a lot of men and women in my life who support me and are willing to set others straight if they can’t see outside the typical gender roles.”
Wolff-Coussoulos was then asked what her “superpower” was as a woman. She shared “My superpower is that I am able to multi-task with efficiency”. This strength along with her determination to succeed in her field as a woman, and as a teacher, is a huge representation of the strength, and resilience of how huge of an impact women have in education along with society in general.
Jenn Horne is an English and Public Speaking teacher at CHS. When asked about her experience being a woman in the education field, and what it means to her, she emphasized her passion for teaching and the lasting impacts she makes on the community, and her students. She shared, “I love my job. Honestly, I am grateful that I get to teach, and learn from, amazing young people every day. It is the young people who make the work meaningful and who keep me here.”
Horne explained how gaining respect as a female can sometimes be difficult. Because of this, she works hard and surrounds herself with people who share a mutual respect. She mentions how these people especially exist at CHS, which is very special.
“But being a woman is also amazing,” Horne said. “I don’t want to be defined purely by the struggle.” She emphasizes the pride, joy, and empowerment that comes with being a woman, and not just the challenges. “What I want my superpower to be is this: I want to be able to look inside of each person that I meet, find what makes them excellent, and show those things to them,” Horne said.
Lastly, KTR interviewed Emily Waters, who is the Music Production and Recording teacher, as well as the Orchestra Director. When asked about her experience as a woman in education, she highlighted both her passion for this matter, as well as the challenges she has experienced.
Similar to Horne, she speaks on how teaching is majority female, and how when a field is female dominated, it is often under valued and heavily criticized, connecting to a societal injustice that goes beyond just the profession.
“Being a woman in education, to me, means dreaming big to show other girls, including my own daughter, what is possible to achieve. I also aim to be a safe space for all students. I want them to feel like they can tell me anything and that I will listen without judgement.”
When I asked about obstacles she has overcome, she reflects on the difficulty of balancing work with a family. There is only so much time in the day, and even with a supportive partner and a strong support system, Waters said. She admits how she experiences guilt when prioritizing one over the other. She overcomes this with help from her husband along with her parents, careful scheduling, and the mindset that “perfect is the enemy of the good.”
“So much of our world prioritizes the physical strength innate to men, but women are strong for so many reasons,” Waters said. “We push through pain. We are life bringers, literally soul portals! When I was pregnant, I did everything I did before, but also while creating and sustaining another life. In some areas of life, we have to work twice as hard for the same recognition as average men. I think our super power is resilience!” Not only does her response highlight her strength and perseverance, but that of all women across the globe. The power to be able to do it all, balancing work, family, and your own personal time.
Overall, each of these women have unique experience, but all have something in common: the strength, resilience, and power that it takes to be a woman, and how empowering and prideful it truly is. Within CHS, women continue to inspire the world, including young female adults, like myself, who are preparing to enter the real world with a sense of clarity and belonging. Women truly are super heroes, and KTR was honored to learn from these three.
