Jill E.
Thomas


Jill E. Thomas taught English at Life Academy of Health and Bioscience, a small public high school in Oakland, California, for nine years. In addition to teaching English, she had the opportunity to design and teach electives in outdoor education, mindfulness, world dance and food systems. She now works for the Oakland Unified School District coaching principals to provide meaningful, growth-oriented feedback to teachers. She holds a bachelor of arts in English and anthropology from Santa Clara University and a master of arts in education from the University of California at Berkeley.

Articles by Jill E.

The Value of GSA Day

Creating safe spaces for LGBT students and their allies is crucial, and hosting a GSA Day is one step toward that safety. Find out how Oakland Unified School District got it done.

Dressing in Solidarity

Can clothing inspire collective action? Yes!

What Esteban Taught Me

This teacher had the information she needed to decode a student’s tough behavior…but what if she hadn’t?

The Double Standard of Coming Out

In sports, machismo and closeted sexuality prevail. And players courageous enough to talk about their sexual orientation are, sadly, not on equal footing.

Praise Helps Redefine Student Roles

This English teacher picked up a few tips for connecting with students. It’s all about how you speak.
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