Shantel Walker
Teacher
Bachelor’s Degree, Elementary Education K–6, University of
South Florida
Shantel Walker started teaching in 2013 and joined Coastal Connections Academy in 2021. She currently teaches fifth-grade science, math, language arts, and social studies. She previously taught second and third grade and served as a Reading Coach for three years.
Why I Became a Teacher
My first-grade teacher really embodied what I wanted to be. She truly cared about us and took pride in what she did each day. I wanted to help others and to show students that education is a stepping stone to whatever they hope to achieve in life.
The Online School Experience at Coastal Connections Academy
I love the atmosphere and environment we have created, with a culture of sharing and working together. Even though we’re an online school, I still feel like I have the opportunity to get to know my students. One benefit of teaching at an online school versus a brick-and-mortar traditional school is the flexibility I’m able to offer my students. We are not bound to the constraints of time as we would be in a brick-and-mortar school.
I am always in contact with my students and strive to push them to high expectations. I encourage them by holding extra help sessions and prompting them to explain their thinking to each other. I also try to incorporate social times at the end of LiveLesson® sessions so they can talk with each other and still have that interaction. I am also starting Fun Friday sessions to encourage interactions.
“I want to show students that education is a stepping stone to whatever they hope to achieve in life.”
— Ms. Walker