Kaneland science teacher Joanna Edelman comes in to teach her students something new about her passion almost every day. One of her many passions is scuba diving, which she further explores through a trip for students who sign up.
“I was recently diving in Costa Rica, and we were at a Caño Island biological reserve,” Edelman said. “All of a sudden, I looked up, and there was a huge manta ray that swam directly above me. It was a pretty incredible experience to see that giant organism just come and sweep right above me.”
Edelman has a deep love of scuba diving and marine ecology, earning certification at 13. She also likes to study tropical regions, and the two are her favorite ecosystems.
“I love the biodiversity of tropical regions,” Edelman said. “I love the weather, and if I can be near the ocean, I would be very, very happy.”
She even loves taking her kids to share in her interest and get certificates younger than she did. Her youngest son got his certificate at the minimum age of 10.
“They’re eager to go scuba diving,” Edelman said. “We did our deepest dive this winter, so that was exciting, and they make me super proud.”
Aside from two kids, Edelman has two dogs, whom she loves earnestly.
“I have a female boxer pit bull,” Edelman said. “Her name is Jessie. And then I have a Rottweiler puppy named Rusty, and she is five months old.”
Even though Edelman loves scuba diving and ecology, she has always wanted to do something science-related. She also loves “helping other people with science,” which is what made her consider teaching in the first place. Plus, the bonus of having a schedule that coincided with her kids’ was an extra benefit. However, before deciding to teach at Kaneland, Edelman went through lots of schooling at university.
“In college, I majored in geology and environmental geosciences for my bachelor’s degree,” Edelman said. “For my master’s, I did literacy education, and then I started my doctorate, which focused on integrating science, social studies and environmental education all into one.”
Although it’s not uncommon for teachers to have a bachelor’s degree, let alone one higher degree, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, it’s much rarer for teachers to have a doctorate, with only 1.4% having one. The fact that Edelman has all three degrees makes her incredibly unique and highly educated.
Edelman also has a love of photography and runs a side business called Two Little Monkeys Photography. As part of this business, Edelman takes photos for all of the banners that hang from the ceilings in Kaneland’s hallways, along with prom and homecoming photos. It’s not uncommon for teachers to have side jobs, with about 85% doing so, according to Gallup News. However, it’s rarer to see a teacher who owns an entirely different business from the one they teach, especially when it isn’t Uber or a part-time job.
Aside from her hobbies, Edelman has two best friends who also teach at Kaneland: science teachers Amanda Dekker and Jennifer Hoemann.
“We used to always lie to the freshmen and tell them we were sisters,” Hoemann said. “And then they would believe us sometimes. But then they’d be like, ‘Wait a minute, she has an accent.’ We would say, ‘Oh, we have different dads. He was from Poland.’”
The three of them like to go out to eat or just stay home and cook together. Either way, they see each other almost every day.
“We eat lunch together every day,” Hoemann said. “And then we’ll do stuff outside of school a couple times a month.”
Additionally, Edelman and Dekker discovered they went to the same high school and were there at the same time for one year. This adds a more sibling-like dynamic between the three of them.
“I met her here,” Dekker said. “However, we found out after a couple of years working together that we actually went to the same high school.”
Furthermore, the friend group finds ways to lean on each other during difficult times. Dekker described a group of students who unfortunately passed away in a car crash a few years ago, which was particularly hard on them. She also mentioned the loss of former special education teacher Kevin Larson earlier this school year, which affected everyone, including Dekker and Edelman, who were particularly close to him. All of them have leaned on and supported each other through difficult times by simply being there. Another example is when Hoemann was there for Edelman after the birth of her youngest son.
“I brought her sushi right after she had a baby,” Hoemann said. “As soon as she gave birth, I was there with sushi. She told me to. She made me.”
Besides leaning on each other during times of need, they also find ways to spend time with each other in a more lighthearted setting. For example, Dekker and Edelman like to camp with their kids a lot over the summer and, in general, travel with each other. Dekker and Edelman often travel with their students to Costa Rica to scuba dive and study marine ecology as a group.
“Our Costa Rica trip that we did last year was pretty important, and we had a lot of fun with all of the students,” Dekker said. “We got to go and work with the leatherback turtles. So that was pretty cool to be there with her in the dark and in the sand collecting the turtle eggs.”
Although Dekker and Edelman tend to travel together, Hoemann also travels with Edelman a lot. Traveling is a bit of a tribute to their friendship, especially when it involves taking a friend to the place you grew up. For Edelman, this is Poland, where Hoemann was able to meet her family.
“We’ve gone to Poland together twice to visit where she grew up,” Hoemann said. “I’ll always remember those trips, obviously. I learned more about her, learned about her family and saw a part of the world I’d never seen before, which is really cool.”
Looking ahead, Edelman plans to stick around at Kaneland for a while longer and keep teaching science to her students. She explains that moving away will only become a possible option once her two sons have graduated.
“I enjoy the city, but I do like the quiet and the space that we have out here,” Edelman said.
