In our first A Conversation With... of this half term, we talk to maths teacher and rowing coach, Miss Bridget Jacques who joined us in September. Miss Jacques believes the greatest things we can learn from maths are 'resilience and the ability to problem-solve creatively'. Miss Jacques rowed to a high level at school and university and is really enjoying being involved in the girls' rowing programme at Shiplake.
What is your role(s) and how long have you been at Shiplake. Where were you previously?
I teach maths all the way through to A Level, coach Senior Girls' Rowing, and am a tutor in the Lower School. I worked at Highdown School previously.
What do you like most about working at Shiplake?
There are so many things that make Shiplake a great place to work, and we are especially lucky to have such amazing facilities all on the same site. However it is the friendly faces and greetings of all the staff and students throughout the day that are a real highlight.
What do you love most about maths and what inspired you to become a teacher?
Maths was always my favourite subject as a school student. Even the trickiest problems give such a sense of accomplishment and appreciation for the logic involved. I always thought in the back of my mind that I'd like to teach maths, but both my parents were teachers and they encouraged me to steer towards other career paths! After graduating university, I was really unsure about what I wanted to do, so I ended up spending over two years teaching English and maths abroad. I found myself enjoying being in the classroom so much that I came back to do my PGCE and embark on my 'official' teaching career.
Can you give us your favourite example of how what you learn in maths can be used in everyday life?
I always think that the greatest skills we learn from a maths education are resilience and the ability to problem-solve creatively. Being able to sort through information available to you and thus find the most efficient route to a solution; is a skill which can be applied in all areas of life and work. Besides that, we use numerical reasoning in everything we do - managing our time and money, in sport and exercise, the list goes on.
Can you tell us a bit about your rowing background?
I took rowing very seriously as a student, much like our rowers at Shiplake. I represented Ireland as a junior - once at the Coupe de la Jeunesse and twice at the Junior World Rowing Championships in sculling events. I also won a few Irish titles and National Schools' Regatta Championships. I rowed for Princeton University over four years while studying as an undergraduate, where I was able to focus on sweep rowing in fours and eights. Unfortunately an injury brought my rowing career to a halt, but I'm lucky now to participate in the sport every day by helping coach our girls' rowing team.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I try to keep fit, and can be found running around the towpath when it's not too muddy. I enjoy baking and have recently been working on my bread-making abilities.
What does the future hold for Miss Jacques?
I'm looking forward to teaching some Further Maths A Level; and continuing to learn as a rowing coach under the guidance of the fantastic coaches at Shiplake.
