By Sanjum Sandhu

Photo courtesy of Torch.

Upper School Biology teacher Rachael Barker says that, sadly, when she was younger, “I realized chemistry was not for me.” This might seem ironic for a science teacher, but this brought her closer to biology, her current subject. Barker teaches both Honors and AP Biology in her second year at Collegiate. Before Collegiate, she taught biology at Powhatan High School and Benedictine High School.

At first, teaching was never a career Barker considered. Her mother introduced the idea of teaching, highlighting how teachers get summers off. Barker’s interest in longer vacations and trying something new brought her to teaching, and when she taught for the first time, she found a deep love for this career. Now she cannot imagine doing anything else.  

Barker has always been fascinated by biology and grew up wishing to be a doctor. However, she soon realized that chemistry was quite a challenge, so she reconsidered her career path and found teaching equally fulfilling. Barker took three years of biology classes in high school, starting with an introductory 9th grade biology course. Then she took IB Biology in her junior and senior years. “I remember my fascination in the dissections,” Barker reminisced about her 9th grade biology experience. She also was fortunate to pursue research opportunities through her higher-level biology course.   

Her passion for biology continued in her undergraduate education, and Barker completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology from James Madison University in 2008. She then pursued her teaching certification from the University of Richmond in 2010. She eventually earned her Master’s in Biological Sciences from Clemson University in 2021. 

Barker is excited to start her second year in the Collegiate community. She reflected on her previous year, remembering how impactful this community is and the intriguing ways she can get more involved. She says that her colleagues in the science department have been overwhelmingly welcoming and have prepared her for any setbacks she may have as a new member. 

She also experienced much warmth from her students. Her classes have guided her through the various Collegiate traditions and customs. Barker professes, “I know it sounds cliché, but I seriously can’t pick just one favorite aspect of Collegiate.” She is impressed by the Collegiate school spirit and unity among the students, faculty, and staff. 

Barker shared some differences between Collegiate and Benedictine and her other schools, “Benedictine was vastly different from Powhatan and Collegiate, just because of the nature of the school… My experiences at Benedictine were filled with a lot of laughs and unique traditions.” When she joined the Collegiate community, she did not have expectations for the school but prepared to immerse herself in her career. Becoming a teacher at Collegiate “has always been a big aspiration,” says Barker. She also teaches Forensics, an elective science course. 

She is excited to attend more school events and experience a variety of opportunities. She attended Brunch her first year at Collegiate and was blown away by the intriguing traditions that Collegiate follows. She wants to experience more sporting events where she can see her students interact in ways outside of the classroom. Optimistic for the new year, Barker says, “Last year, I was a co-advisory with Dr. Togna, but this year, I have my own advisory, and that has been really great. I’ve enjoyed getting to know my new advisees and just hope I’m doing my best for them!” 

She wants to create strong connections with each of her students and schedule one-on-one meetings to learn more about their personalities and better aid their individualized learning journey. Barker says, “I want to make deep connections with my students and help cater to their needs during my classes.” Her genuine concern for her student’s success is evident, and her passion and skillful teaching are apparent. 

Barker incorporates many exciting methods in her classroom, such as Cell Part “Speed Dating,” for her students to teach and learn about the different cell parts and their functions. Her visual teaching style has aided me and many students to conceptualize complex concepts. Walker Smith (’24) says, “I like how she does a lot of hands-on activities, which allow us to learn more actively than lectures.” Olivia D’Ambrosia (’24) says, “She makes class very engaging by involving interactive activities like fun labs, coloring, and speed dating organelles.” Her students are optimistic for this coming year and excited to learn more about biology.