Jan 24, 2018 12:00:00 AM
At Riverside High School, I was given an opportunity to be a part of building a school from the ground up, but with the support and resources offered by Herron High School, which has a proven record of success. Riverside High School has brought together a diverse group of students from a variety of economic and cultural backgrounds, many of whom were looking for a fresh start in a new school. Teachers provide opportunities for students to receive feedback in nearly every class period, maintain websites that provide academic support outside of school hours, and offer office hours before and after school for students who need one on one help. All students have a structured study hall time called a seminar with classroom teachers available to provide help. Our high expectations and high level of support combine to make my class time feel sacred to both myself and my students. More personally, I feel respected as a professional. The administration maintains an open door policy; I am often asked for my thoughts and I always feel heard and respected. The focus in the building is always about what is best for our students, and all ideas are welcome. I am also given the freedom to teach my subject matter the way I think best, but there is a culture of collaboration among the staff. Teachers collaborate within content area groups as well as across content areas, sharing lesson plans, instructional ideas, and classroom management strategies. As a group, we are constantly growing as professionals.Indianapolis Classical Schools has provided the city of Indianapolis with two great high school campuses. Students who attend these high schools come from various public schools, private schools, parochial schools and homeschool. This organization strives to have a diverse student population where at least 50 percent of the student body is not White. From their results, it is clear they have offered a great option where students can achieve regardless of their background.
Shawnta (Shawn-tay) S. Barnes, also known as Educator Barnes, is a married mother of identical twin boys. She navigates education from not only the educator’s perspective but also the parent’s perspective. She has been an educator for nearly two decades. Shawnta works with K-12 schools, universities, & education adjacent organizations through her education consulting business Blazing Brilliance. She is an adjunct college professor, supervises student teachers, Indy Kids Winning Editor-in-Chief, Brave Brothers Books Co-founder, & CEO, and Brazen Education Podcast host. She holds five education licenses: English/language arts 5-12, English to speakers of other languages P-12, library/media P-12, reading P-12, and school administration P-12, and she has held a job in every licensed area. Previously, she has served as a school administrator, English teacher, English learners teacher, literacy coach, and librarian. She won the 2019 Indiana Black Expo Excellence in Education Journalism Award. In 2023, she completed her doctorate in Literacy, Culture, and Language Education with a minor in Learning Sciences. She is an urban gardener in her spare time and writes about her harvest-to-table journey at gardenershicole.com. To learn more about Shawnta, visit educatorbarnes.com.
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