Selma High welcomes a former intervention teacher into the English department. Mr. Barbick, has taken a step outside of his comfort zone with teaching English 1 and 2 this new school year. Not only is he taking on a new job, but he also added that outside of teaching work; he works as a professional artist where his art is shown not only nationally but internationally as well. 

“It’s important to have things to pour yourself into outside of just your job so that you have balance,” Mr. Barbick states.

 His passion for wanting to become a teacher began when he attended community college in LA where he shared a heart whelming story. During the time he had a son and he had to take his son to school but wasn’t allowed to bring children to class at his community college, his English teacher was the only teacher who would allow him to bring his kid and would teach class while bouncing his kid on his knee. This story showed the power that teachers held outside of just teaching students and inspired Mr. Barbick to do the same.

“So when I saw what he could do with teaching, I wanted to teach, I just didn’t know it was English. I liked English because it’s interpretive, but I knew I wanted to be a teacher,” Barbick adds.

In addition to Selma High,Mr. Barbick has had a long line of work before settling down. He began in LA teaching at public and private schools as well as teaching in Minnesota at a recording arts school for talented kids in music.  After this, he went back to LA where he then helped special needs kids with asperger syndrome. Then in 2007 moved here to Selma because his wife got hired as a deputy district attorney for Fresno County. While searching and interviewing for schools that he might find interest in, he realized that Selma High used a, “SIOP” teaching model/system that he had experience with and was familiar with, making it a good fit for him. When asked what his favorite part of his job was he expanded that he just wants kids to write creatively and read text with analysis involved.

“Find things in them that are important, that are meaningful, that will influence their lives in some way,” Barbick says. 

He also said he wants his students to pick up a book they might enjoy and genuinely want to read it on their own time. His main goals are for his kids to do well.

“In a perfect world I want my kids to walk out of class liking reading…realizing or finding something that you like to read, that takes time and effort and intentionality,” Brabick further states.

Mr. Barbick looks forward to helping his students grow and having a great year.