Shannon Barker

Previous work experience: English teacher at the Latin School

What should students know about your style of teaching?
“I like it to be student centered. We are a community of learners who are constructing our knowledge together, and so what does that look like in a class — well you might sit in a circle that I am part of, engaging in conversation that I don’t want to go through me where I have to call on people. I like conversations that happen among students that I can just listen to, so I like a lot of collaborative work, and in classes I like to give students choice. I think that’s important for students to take ownership over their learning. And so I guess my style, I want students to take ownership and to care about their learning other than a grade.”

What do you hope your students will say about you and your class at the end of the year?
“To me, there’s something really beautiful about being able to foster empathy and relationships among members of a community in the English class. You know, it’s the first year of high school for all the students I’m teaching and so I guess by the end of the year, I want them to feel that the class contributed to their feeling of community here.”

What are some interests/hobbies you have outside teaching?
“It’s such a cliché to say I love to read for fun, but I do. I love to cook. I guess if I were to say that I have a free hour on a Saturday I would either want to cook something or read for fun, or if I could do anything, I would love to sit on a beach or walk by the beach by the ocean.”