Meet the Faculty and Staff

Jennifer Parks

Jennifer Parks is an education training specialist for Upward Bound and has worked with Delaware Tech’s TRIO – Upward Bound Math & Science program since 2018. Upward Bound is a pre-college program for high school students looking to pursue a college education that would lead to careers in the math and science fields. Parks specializes in mathematics. Before working at Delaware Tech, Parks taught math for a private school for four years, as well as homeschooling her own three children for the past twelve years. As an avid player of computer games with strategy, Parks encouraged Upward Bound to create a Minecraft club to help the students strengthen their problem-solving skills.

Q: What is your favorite thing about working at Delaware Tech?

"The opportunity to help students who struggle with mathematics."

Q: Why was it important for you to work at Delaware Tech?

"The support and advice of my supervisor has helped me grow as a teacher. My department works as a team to meet our students needs. I also love the opportunity to work with small groups of students where I can provide individual instruction."

Q: What did you do before working at Delaware Tech?

"I have taught math for a private school for four years. I homeschooled my three children for the past twelve years. I have taught every subject for k-8th grade in my homeschool."

Q: Describe your first day at Delaware Tech. What was that experience like?

"I felt like I had the support and preparation I needed to succeed."

Q: What changes have you seen in yourself since you started working here?

"I have grown stronger in the knowledge of how to teach mathematics. I find myself constantly learning new ways to apply math concepts. The field keeps changing with the common core standards. The skills and types of problems students are required to learn keep changing. To teach in this day and age, you have to be willing to adapt. For instance, I learned how to tutor via Zoom during the pandemic."

Q: What hobbies or interests do you have outside of the College?

"I love computer games that involve strategy. Having three children who are gamers gave me the opportunity to be familiar with the games that students love to play. It opened the door for me to encourage Upward Bound to create a Minecraft club, which was very popular. Some computer games strengthen problem solving skills."

Q: Do you have a favorite memory from your time at Delaware Tech thus far?

"I had a student tell me that I made a difference in helping her succeed in high school."

Q: What's something people may not know about you?

"My grandmother traced our ancestry to the Scottish Wallace Clan. So, maybe William Wallace was a distant cousin?"

Q: What are your future goals?

"To write a paper about changes in education that would enable students to develop stronger math skills."

Jennifer Parks

Job Title
Education Training Specialist / (Math teacher) for Upward Bound

Started Working at Delaware Tech
2018