Fran Barror

What inspired you to become a teacher, and what do you enjoy most about teaching your subject?

I have been teaching little ones how to read, write, and problem solve since I was a little one myself, and I have always understood how education is not and CANNOT be a one-size-fits-all solution. I have always been inspired to help others learn, and have loved finding different ways to make learning and mastering a new concept fun and engaging for even the most hesitant of students. I like learning about my new learners so that I can reinforce the skills they have while scaffolding new learning after strengthening their foundation and encompassing their interests for practical application of new concepts and skills.

What are some of your hobbies or interests outside of the classroom?

Outside of the classroom, I enjoy creating educational videos for YouTube and writing/designing children’s books for KDP Amazon. I enjoy spending time with my six children, and we love traveling to West Virginia to visit extended family. We spend time cooking together and creating fun new healthy recipes, and we love to read, so we created our own family book club to discuss each chapter or part of the novel while creating fun activities that go along with the novel and make us feel like we are inside the book world ourselves.

What was your favorite subject in school and why?

My favorite subjects in school were English Literature and Algebra. I loved English Literature and creative writing because I have always loved reading and making up my own stories with my dollhouse as a child. I love to study different works of fiction the best, and create my own fictional tales too.

I have always loved numbers and being able to work out algebraic equations that are practical, and nothing is more practical to everyday life than algebra when it comes to shopping and budgeting each month to make sure you can pay bills while saving for extra things too!

Anything else we should know about you?

I find it helpful to start each session by reviewing the concept from the week prior, and talk about how each learner has been feeling during the week. I like to gage their mood, and see how we might be able to solve an emotional issue they may be dealing with, because once they feel safe and emotionally regulated, they are much more able and capable to retain new information and extend new skills while applying them in the real world!