Jamie Bevan: 30 Years in Education!

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COVID-19 has parents worried, not about the virus but about quality education. The current containment measures are causing an unprecedented exodus of qualified educators. According to a report from the British Chamber of Commerce in China (BritCham), international schools are expected to see at least a 40 percent turnover rate in teachers. Most of us know at least one, and in many cases, several educators who have either canceled their contracts early or are planning on leaving at the end of this school year, and replenishing the staff in the current climate is a Herculean task.

The people who are leaving have gotten a lot of press lately. But even as they make the difficult decision to do what is best for their families and return to their home countries, many exceptional teachers are making the equally difficult decision to stay. They know full well that it means another year of not seeing family, not traveling, and potentially going into another round of lockdowns. But they are choosing to stay. 

Over the next few weeks, we will be profiling several exceptional educators who will be remaining through the 2022-2023 school year. So, have no fear, parents. Your child will be in good educational hands next year!

Allow me to introduce you to Jamie Bevan. Bevan is the 4th grade team lead at Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA) and she is definitely a firecracker. This incredible bundle of energy loves to teach writing and drama, and is easily one of the most engaging and charismatic educators I have ever met. That energy and enthusiasm combine with her decades of classroom experience. In fact, she will be spending her 30th year as an educator right here in a Beijing classroom.

But she didn’t always want to be a teacher.

“When I was very young, I always wanted to be a fighter pilot, and then an astronaut, but finding out how much math was involved I went with my second love, teaching,” Bevan tells us.

Her educational hero? “I always watched Little House on the Prairie and wanted to be just like Laura Ingalls Wilder.”

Bevan and her husband Jerry, a former police officer and detective now turned educator himself, lived and raised a family in Florida until a fateful night three years ago.

My husband retired from law enforcement and both of our children were grown up and out of the house, so we were eating pizza one night and I mentioned teaching abroad.

And that was it. The couple packed their bags and moved to China less than a year before the pandemic would change Beijing and the rest of the world forever. But rather than head back home when the virus struck, they stayed to teach and remain here with smiles on their faces.

"Jerry and I are staying next year because we love the children here and have met many friends through our time at BIBA.

Bevan told me they love the community here and she raves about the interesting people she meets from all over the world. They also look forward to resuming their traveling once restrictions are lifted. Just for fun, I decided to do a quick-fire Q&A to see what makes her tick.

What do you like to do when you are not in the classroom?

LAUGH!!! I also enjoy theme parks, bike rides, good food, and thrift stores. I love a good bargain.

What do you order from Meituan for Netflix and chill nights?

Pizza: Pie Squared, Tube Station, and Swan!

Best gift a student ever gave you?

A handmade doll, or a half-empty bottle of perfume (it belonged to the student).

The best thing about being a teacher?

THE KIDS. They make me laugh EVERY day and always teach ME something.

The worst thing about being a teacher

“Red tape.” Assessments.

What is always in your fridge?

Butter, water, and wine.

Favorite book?

The Wizard of Oz.

If you could have dinner with one historical figure, dead or alive, who would it be?

Amelia Earhart.

What would you say to 18-year-old you?

Don’t be stupid, but [have] no regrets!

That last answer seems to sum up Bevan's general life philosophy pretty well. Her “go for it” attitude and love for her students are just a few reasons we are happy to have her as part of Beijing’s community!

If you know of an exceptional educator who intends to stay through the next school year, please let us know so we can include them in this profile series!

Images: Jamie Bevan

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