From Elementary to High School

Mrs. Barnes switched from teaching fourth grade to now teaching highschool at Mountain View-Birch Tree Liberty High. In 1993, she graduated from LHS. Then she began substituting for a part-time job after her first son was born. After a while, she decided she wanted to pursue her career in teaching. She then headed off to be a fourth-grade teacher for thirteen years. ¨I have always wanted to teach Family and Consumer Science Education (FACS), so when the position opened last year I took the certification test. I missed out on the position last school year, but when it came open this school year I requested to move.¨ She added, ¨I do miss my little kids however I love the independence of the high schoolers I have and I love the content of what I am teaching.¨

Barnes teaches four different classes: Nutrition and Wellness, Child Development, Housing and Design, and Fashion and Textiles. Nutrition and Wellness teaches students how to promote healthy eating habits, the ability to plan and purchase meals for families, and also teaches about careers associated with nutrition and wellness. Child Development focuses on leadership roles within the family, prenatal development, and the developmental stages of children. Housing and Design focuses on needs on living environments, creating living environments, health and safety of living environments, and careers. Fashion and Textiles is where students will learn to sew and construct clothing and research fashion trends.

She says her favorite class that she is teaching is “Housing and Design because 1. I love designing houses and decorating them and 2. I would love to instill that passion into my students.” She thinks her students' favorite class is going to be, ¨cooking because they are all excited about eating.¨

Wyatt Newton had Mrs. Barnes in fourth grade, and now again in high school for her Housing and Design class, and then next semester her fashion and textiles class. “My favorite memory in her class [in fourth grade] is when we made the Native American artifacts, that was fun.” Newton had lots of positive things to say about Mrs. Barnes: ¨She is a good teacher. She is not too strict, but not too laid back. She doesn't really ever get mad. She makes everything really clear. She is just a good teacher overall.¨

Ellee Miller also had Mrs. Barnes in fourth grade, and now again in high school for her Housing and Design class where they “work on interior designing and creating different styles in living environments in the housing industry.¨ Her favorite memory is “the day we made flubber and playdoh in her class during MAP testing.¨ Miller said, ¨Mrs. Barnes is extremely dedicated to her job and is also dedicated to helping kids become the best person they can be.¨