Golden Apple: Jinlin Baker

RED BANK, Tenn. (WDEF) – Jinlin Baker finds ways to relate to her students.

The special needs teacher tries to motivate, love, and help her kids at Red Bank Elementary.

Dr. Valerie Smith is the Assistant Principal at the school.

She says Baker connects with her students.

“Jinlin is so gentle with the children. She teaches them from their areas of interest. If a student loves music, that’s the way she is going to reach them, through music. If they like stories, she’s going to read stories that apply to things that they love. And those are the things that stand out to me from her, how she reaches all of her students.”

Baker says she gets to do what she loves every day.

“I’ve always had a love for kids with disabilities, especially kids that did not have a voice. And trying to find what they love and what excites them and using that to help them progress as much as they can.”

Baker has been doing this job for more than a dozen years.

The key to her success is finding what her students love, and using that to help them learn.

“I want them to enjoy coming to school. And I want them to progress as much as they can. I want their parents to feel like they are sending their child to a safe place; but they are loved. And I want them to know that they are loved.”

Her passion and dedication have earned Jinlin Baker this week’s Golden Apple Award.