The sound of voices filled the room as students piled into the lecture hall. Humanities co-teachers Carl Black and Brent Beeson sat anxiously watching as the students took their seats. Rows and rows of students filled the room. Both teachers were nervous about teaching a class with 50 students. However, as they saw their students’ smiling faces, their confidence rose. Reassured by their students’ enthusiasm, the two teachers stood up, ready to take on a new academic year.
In an attempt to accommodate for the growing student population at Frisco High School, Black and Beeson had to relocate their classroom. Because their classes grew so much, their old classroom was no longer a suitable learning environment. This was the first thing on their mind when the two teachers were approached by the school’s administration.
“At first we were disappointed that we had to move,” Beeson said. “Once we got over that initial disappointment, we decorated it and really kind of made it our own unique environment and atmosphere. So far, I really like it.”
The next problem they faced was which classroom would they use. While taking the lecture hall as their permanent classroom would take away a free room for students, its ample space and large desks made it the perfect solution to their problem.
“The tables are much better for doing work on,” Black said. “The puzzle piece tables aren’t really conducive to working on posters and stuff like that. I think the atmosphere is cool. We missed the windows a little bit, but I think we’ve made it an inviting place to be.”
As Black and Beeson settle into their new classroom, they hope their students will also like their new classroom and develop a lifelong love for humanities. However, they are also worried about not being able to connect with all of their students. Since the classes are much bigger, the teachers feel they won’t be able to have as much of a personal connection with each student.
“I would prefer to have a class of 25 to 30 kids just because it makes it easier to get to know each student,” Beeson said. “But I would say that over time, I think I’m still going to be able to make that connection because it’s something that’s very important to me.”
In the end, the change of classroom was definitely an impactful event, however, Black and Beeson are confident that their students will be able to work successfully in the new environment.
“We love the kids we work with,” Black said. “When we heard we were losing the old room, we were devastated, but, I think it ended up working out for the best. The GT kids are talented in a lot of ways.”
