Jaime (Seymen) Robinson knew early on that she wanted to be a teacher.
“I was in high school when I discovered I have a gift explaining math to kids,” said Robinson, a home-grown woman who graduated from Suttons Bay in 2000. “I helped out with Kids Club (after school program) and discovered I love kids.”
Robinson is one of 10 teachers who will be recognized next week as Outstanding Educators of the Year by Northwest Education Services and TBA Credit Union and Traverse Connect.
She and nine other winners, nominated by administrators, colleagues, students and parents, will be honored next Wednesday, June 6 at the Opera House in Traverse City.
After high school, Robinson attended Aquinas College in Grand Rapids where she studied elementary education with an emphasis on mathematics and physical education.
Robinson had played basketball at Suttons Bay and this love of the sport continued during her undergraduate studies, coaching students at Kenowa Hills Schools.
But when she returned to the area in 2004, teaching positions were few and far between. Hoping to get her foot in the door locally, Robinson spent 1 1/2 years working as a substitute teacher in area schools. She also continued her love of athletics serving as a varsity softball coach at Suttons Bay; middle school volleyball coach at Leland and junior varsity girls basketball at Glen Lake.
In 2005, Robinson was hired by Glen Lake to teach middle school mathematics. After receiving an “emergency certification” allowing her to teach secondary students, she went on to earn her certification to instruct older students from Ferris State University. Her master’s degree is also from Ferris.
“My first year teaching, I took 23 credits to earn my certification,” she said. “I’m now certifi ed to teach math, K-12.”
In addition to her classroom duties, Robinson is also in her 19th year of coaching — seven years as junior varsity girls basketball coach and 12 years coaching seventh grade girls basketball.
Also at Glen Lake, she has served on the school’s Sex Education Advisory Committee; the Wellness Committee; eighth grade class advisor; and as a mentor to two teacher just beginning their careers.
Robinson is also a co-coach of the Leelanau Soccer Club’s U-14 girls team and supports Glen Lake athletics, helping out with everything from taking tickets to working the scoreboard.
COVID-19 was tough everyone but for teachers and students, who initially worked online and then went to school with masks, it was a huge obstacle.
“It was unknown for all of us.
We were blazing our own trail, hoping we were doing it right,”she explained, acknowledging gaps in learning during COVID. “But we’re slowly filling in those gaps.”
Masks were mandated in the classroom, once students returned to classes. And for Robinson, it was particularly challenging.
She and her daughter suffer from a genetic disease which impairs hearing.
“My daughter flunked her kindergarten hearing test and found that she was deaf in one ear,” Robinson said. “I really don’t need the hearing aids (she wears), but I realized during COVID how much lipreading I did. Wearing a mask was tough.
“I learned a lot about myself.” But teaching for her is more than simply working through equations.
“I love watching kids have success and learn to love math again,” Robinson said. “But I also want them to be the best person they can be with honesty, integrity and respect.”
Robinson and her husband, Scott have two children: Parker, a ninth grader and Bailey, seventh grader.
