Samantha Barnhart

1. What is your educational background and what positions have you held?

BA, MPhil, MEd: 

 I went to Butler High School and then dual-tracked in English Writing and Film Studies with a minor in Spanish at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I was in IUP's Cook Honors College (2013-2017) and also participated in a summer faculty-led study abroad program at the University of Oxford in 2014 and studied a semester abroad at the University of Essex in 2016. I was valedictorian of the English BA program and Editor in Chief of IUP's newspaper, The Penn. After my undergrad, I did my Master of Philosophy degree in Film and Screen Studies at the University of Cambridge in 2017 and my Master of Education degree in Secondary Education: English at Slippery Rock from 2018-2020. 

 

I did my student teaching at Armstrong Junior-Senior High School, and last year I had two long-term substitute positions: first at Mars Area High School teaching 10th grade English and Communications, then at Butler High School first the English Cyber Support teacher and then a LT-sub teaching 9th grade English. 

 

I am currently teaching at Ballycastle High School in Northern Ireland. I teach English Years 8-11 (grade 6-9) and Years 8-9 Drama.

 

2. Name one SRU experience, in general or specific to the field, that you will never forget and explain why.

My teaching practicum at New Castle Junior/Senior High School through SRU was an amazing experience and really prepared me for student teaching. The MEd cohort was full of like-minded individuals who were passionate and knowledgeable about their subject areas and truly wanted to become excellent teachers. It was a pleasure to go through the process with a supportive network of professionals who were all keen to learn and practice pedagogy. The practicum was a great stepping stone between the theoretical ideas of teaching, learned in the university classroom, and the realities of the work, learned while student teaching. I'm very grateful for that experience. 

 

3. Name an SRU faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.

Dr. John Hicks was incredibly supportive and helpful. I learned a lot from him in class, as well as during my advising sessions.

 

4. What initially piqued your interest in pursuing a degree in education?

Originally, I had wanted to be a university professor. I had even been accepted into an English PhD program at the University of Syracuse but ultimately turned it down for Slippery Rock's MEd program instead. During my master's degree at Cambridge, I became a bit disillusioned with the business of research universities/institutions. I felt that I was a cog in the machine and that the university cared more about my labor and the work I produced (to make the university look good) and less about actually teaching its students. I realized how grateful I was to have gone to a PASSHE school like IUP, because at a state school, it did feel like the professors wanted to help me learn and weren't simply in it for the PR. I also realized that I wanted the opportunity to teach and enhance the lives of all students, from all backgrounds, abilities and means -- not just pupils fortunate enough to get a university degree. I knew that in order to do this, I should change my focus to secondary education rather than collegiate. So, I looked up MEd programs within the Pennsylvania state system and knew Slippery Rock's program would allow me to do what I truly wanted to do: teach.

 

5. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

It's incredibly difficult to choose just one rewarding aspect of teaching, but if I had to pick one, I think it would be creating a positive relationship for learning with pupils. I remember reading in Sir Ken Robinson's book Creative Schools that the best way to get students to pay attention in class is to show them that you care about them. If you show an interest in their lives, their hobbies, their identities, 9 out of 10 times, pupils will give that back to you and try to care about what you care about: the lesson. It's about creating that respect and rapport. I always remember that, at the end of the day, students just want to be cared for, and unfortunately, not all of them get to feel cared for at home. For some, school is the only place students can get the positive attention they need. Helping a student feel safe, supported, and noticed is the most rewarding aspect of teaching to me; the actual subject matter comes second, but that foundation of trust needs to be there first. Developing that positive ethos and rapport, and seeing students develop a passion for learning takes the cake. Watching students get more and more knowledgeable through your lessons is just the icing on top.

 

6. What makes a great teacher?

To be a good teacher, you need to be able to balance and be flexible. There are myriad roles a teacher has to constantly fill: instructor, learner, record keeper, entertainer, role model, presenter, facilitator, behavior manager, teammate, negotiator, cheerleader,  etc. You have to be thinking of everything at once and be flexible enough to change your plans at a moment's notice. You need to know your subject, be passionate about your subject, and know how to convey the subject to students while managing classroom behavior.

 

I've found work-life balance a bit difficult as well, but I've learned to use my planning periods and after school hours effectively so that I take as little work home as possible. It's important to have those boundaries and make sure you aren't always working.