Get to Know HFC: Jessica Shamberger’s enthusiasm for teaching is contagious
HFC English as Second Language (ESL) instructor Jessica Shamberger always wanted to travel overseas, and teaching English abroad was a great way to do it.
“My mother was a teacher in Detroit Public Schools for 20 years, so I grew up around teachers. It wasn’t until I graduated from college though when I really considered teaching,” explained Shamberger. “I ran into my old high school humanities teacher, who told me that I would be great at teaching ESL. I had no idea what that was, but she explained it and I started my master’s program shortly thereafter.”
Feeling supported at HFC
The youngest of two, Shamberger was born in Canton. She moved back to her hometown where she lives with Noah, her husband of 12 years, and their son, 7.
A graduate of Salem High School, Shamberger earned her bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in screenwriting and film studies from Michigan State University. She later earned her master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Eastern Michigan University.
Shamberger taught English in China for two years. She has taught at the college level since 2013. She worked at EMU, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Schoolcraft College, and Oakland Community College. She also worked for the University of Michigan Press and AAA Michigan.
Shamberger joined HFC in 2016. She reports to English Language Institute Director Molly McCord.
“I have a few colleagues who I taught with at other institutions and encouraged me to apply to HFC,” recalled Shamberger. “They would always speak highly of their work colleagues and the overall teaching environment. I really wanted to work at a place where I felt supported.”
Rewarding to see her students realize the progress they’re making
Besides her teaching duties – preparing lessons, teaching classes, creating and grading assignments – Shamberger assists with running the ELI Conversation Circle, where students can practice their English, and the ELI Podcast Club, where students write and record podcast episodes.
She is also the Written and Oral Communication Institutional Learning Outcome (ILO) Representative for the Committee for the Assessment of Student Learning (CASL). She is teaching the following classes:
“Jessica’s enthusiasm for teaching is contagious,” said McCord. “Her innovative spirit is evident in her creation of an Open Educational Resource for her Level 3 Communication classes and her role in the formation of the ELI Podcast Group. Her kind heart and sense of humor make her a wonderful ELI instructor and colleague.”
Shamberger’s fellow ESL instructor Roger Frank echoed McCord’s sentiments.
“I'm proud to be Jessica’s colleague!” said Frank. “She is a fantastic person with a thoughtful and friendly nature. She truly cares about her students. Many students have told me what a great teacher she is, and it comes as no surprise, given her insightful ideas and command of second language learning pedagogy.”
“The best part of my job is working with a really great team that is supportive and creative,” said Shamberger. “They motivate me to be a better teacher and co-worker. I also love seeing the progress the students make, even when they do not even see it themselves. I appreciate the difficulty of what is being asked of them at the College in general, and it is really rewarding when you see that they finally can see just how far they’ve come and to see their drive to keep moving forward.”