Ms. Love: Loving and Leaving

Success in teaching requires effort and dedication, as exemplified by English teacher Ms. Shannon Love, who is concluding her career in education this year.

Ms. Love was inspired to become a teacher in her early years. “I wanted to become a teacher since I was in about 2nd grade, but didn’t decide on the level or subject until I was in high school and had two phenomenal AP English teachers.”

Ms. Love attended Siena College in Albany, NY on a swimming scholarship, and earned a Bachelor’s in English. She then spent five years teaching at Joseph A. Foran High School in Milford, Connecticut. She subsequently made the decision to take a teaching job at Meridian High School during the 2020-2021 school year after completing her

Master’s in Education from the University of New England.

Ms. Love noted that her teaching style has shifted over the years, and has included incorporating a daily schedule into her class. “Maintaining student engagement is super important, so I try to relate the content to my students or the real world as much as possible, while also making sure we’re practicing basic skills like analyzing and writing.”

Ms. Love affirmed that those who put forward their best effort and seek assistance are far more likely to succeed. “If you don’t do anything, your teacher can’t help you. If you at least try to do the assignment, even if you don’t understand it, your teacher can help you with what you got wrong.”

Ms. Love noted that one of the most important components of her job was forming relationships with her students. “They are the reason I stayed in the profession for so long ... For a lot of my career, I taught freshmen and seniors, so it was fun to have the same students again in 12th grade and get to see how much they changed.”

Throughout her teaching career, Ms. Love has cherished her relationships with students. Some students have reached out to express that she prepared them well for a college literature or writing course. “It’s humbling to realize that I had an impact, no matter how small, on a person, especial- ly because a lot of the time the students don’t realize just how much of an impact they have on their teachers.”

While much of Ms. Love’s teaching journey has been smooth, she has navigated several obstacles over the course of her career, including changing technology. “With how readily available information is (i.e. Shmoop, Sparknotes, etc.) and the rise of AI technology, it’s also been tough to make sure students are actually submitting their own work,” Ms. Love said.

To combat this, she admitted, “I actually don’t use technology a whole lot in my classroom because I want to hear my students’ original thoughts rather than the first website they clicked on after googling the answer. I want my students to be able to critically think and analyze, not just look up the answer.”

Teaching virtually during the COVID-19 Pandemic was another defining moment in Ms. Love’s career. “A lot of students struggled to adjust to virtual learning, then struggled to readjust to in-person learning. It has been tough to balance those needs with academic needs, like curriculum pacing, grading, and standardized test preparation.”

Moreover, Ms. Love said that, “The value of actually learning is overshadowed by numerical grades. Students care more about the number than the content, and that can be really frustrating.”

She encourages her students to take accountability for their learning, and prioritizes teaching them real-life skills in addition to content. “There’s so much out there to learn, but not developing that mindset at a young age is going to catch up with you later in life.”

Ms. Love plans to embark on a new path this summer. “I honestly do not plan to stay engaged with the teaching profession, with the exception of maintaining learn from one another, which is something I didn’t always have growing up,” Niemi said.

Moreover, Girls Who Code has become a safe community for young girls at Oak Street to foster an interest in computer science and support their classmates.

“It is really sweet that they all support each other, are there for each other and have this adorable little community that I didn’t have,” Niemi continued.

As Meridian students continue to reflect the nationwide increasing of women in STEM, Lam and Niemi hope that young girls won’t feel out of place in their computer science classes and percieve computer science as a field not constrained by gender or other demographics.

“We need more women in STEM, specifically computer science … hopefully they will continue to pursue computer science if they are into it.” the friendships I have established with my coworkers at Meridian and at my previous school in Connecticut.”

As Ms. Love’s teaching career comes to a close, she reflected on all she has learned. “Ask for help when you need it. Get to know your students as more than just ‘students.’ Don’t be offended if a student doesn’t want to let you get to know them or doesn’t like you. Don’t sacrifice your personal life for your job -- teacher burnout is real.”