A First-Year Teacher’s Perspective: Literacy, Book Restrictions, and Classroom Realities with Trudy Shellenbarger

PODCAST Season 6 EPISODE 12

Trudy Shellenbarger

10th Grade Teacher

Escambia Hogh School 

Quotes of the Podcast: 

“The stars we are given, the constellations we make.” Rebecca Solnit

Introduction of Guest BIO – 

Trudy Shellenbarger has just finished up her first year as a 10th-grade English teacher at Escambia High School in Pensacola, Florida. Originally from Ohio, she received her Bachelor of Science in secondary English education and her Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative writing from Miami University in 2025. 

Interview

Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators.

• 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• 1. Literacy rates/what I've seen with reading. 
• 2. Book bannings/media restrictions in Florida (where I teach). 
• 3. Newer issues from a young/new teacher's lens (things like AI, vaping, Chromebooks/tech, security--I'm not an expert in any of these but I've seen it firsthand for the first time in the last year).
• What are the biggest challenges to you?
• What would you like decision makers to know?”

Podcast/ website/ book shoutouts

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

Support the show

Education Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox

Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions