A Student Teaching Students

English teacher Shannon Whiteley earns her masters degree

English Teacher Mrs.Whiteley in her classroom full of books. Growing up she loved to read and
tell stories. “I like to read because I feel like when I get stressed out I can go away for awhile in
my imagination.” Shannon Whiteley said.

In just eleven years, English teacher Shannon Whiteley went from having no degrees to

two. She had always loved telling and reading stories. Now the way she tells stories might

change.

During the school year she completed her requirements and graduated with a Masters

degree in Educational Technology Library Science. She is now able to become a librarian, a job

she’s been wanting for a long time.

 “I’m excited about maybe changing jobs and I’m nervous about maybe changing jobs,”

Shannon Whiteley said. “I have a lot of mixed feelings because I feel like I’m good at my job but

I also feel like I could be good at the other job. It will be new.”

Her immediate family has been very supportive. She has been going for her degrees for

over eleven years after taking a break from school after having children.

“My family and I have supported her in this idea and process of her getting her degree,”

daughter, Reagan Whiteley said. “We are proud of her accomplishments.”

She has had many students over the years and many have gotten close and continue to

come back to visit. The students have felt very compassionate and the students of this semester

have understood and encouraged her throughout the process.

“Although she has been absent throughout the semester for her degree, she has

definitely been an influence on my life,” student, Laura Lao said. “She has taught me some

great writing skills as well as regular life skills.”

Mrs.Whiteley herself has had many influential people in her life as well. She mentioned

how her students, family, friends, and particularly her father have left an influence on her to

want to get a degree and go far in life.

“When I was growing up he would say when you’re going through a hard time, when you

go through a tragedy you always come out of it changed,” Shannon said. “You can come out of

it stronger, or you can come out of it weaker, but you’re never going to come out of it the same.”

Her family loves how she has pursued her dreams. Shannon has left an impact on them

that makes them want to try things and go far in life as well. She has also left an impact that she

will continue to teach through her future students and future people she will meet. She also

teaches life lessons as well as school work.

 “She has inspired me to follow my passion, like she did by finding what she really wanted

to do in life, and just telling me to pursue my passion as well,” Reagan said. “She has always

taught me how to be kind to all people, to care for others other than myself, and how to not

apologize for simply being myself.”

Since she was a student throughout the school year, she has been able to learn from

her teachers ways she can improve her teaching. She has learned what not to do, what she

doesn't like, and what leaves an imprint on students. She did school online so she was never

able to tell her teachers what they have done for her in person.

“I always encourage my students if something doesn’t make sense you need to ask so I

can explain,” Shannon said. “But I never got that opportunity, so that was frustrating, but then at

the same time it made me pay more attention to detail when I would write assignments for my

students.”

When she first started teaching she taught preschool. This made her feel good because

she was taller and smarter than them. She didn’t start teaching high schoolers until after she

went to a church camp and spent time becoming herself in front of teenagers.

“That week really changed me because I went from just being a mom, and a wife, and I

became me and people started seeing Shannon instead of seeing, Mrs. Whiteley or Jordan’s

mom,” Shannon said. “That week just really changed my direction in life. I came back home

and told my husband I think teenagers is what I actually want to do. So I went back to finish

college. So I could become a high school teacher.”

Being many things in life can be difficult and interesting at times. People learn from their

mistakes and find what makes them strive to be better. Shannon is many things and she is an

amazing person who influenced many through all of her different titles.
 “It was hard because I felt like I had so many jobs going on at the same time,” Shannon

said. “Because I am a teacher, but I’m also a wife, and I’m also a mom, but now I’m also a

student, i'm also a department chair for the English department, so I had all of these different

hats”