New hire Nikel Bussolati has made her way from Knightdale High School to the virtual classrooms of Chapel Hill High School, where she teaches English 12 and Honors English 12 classes.
Bussolati looks to inspire her students by following her philosophy that teaching is a civic responsibility necessary to uphold a functioning democracy.
“When I was a senior in high school, I took AP Government and Politics. My teacher in that class did a lot to enforce the idea that an informed citizenry is the linchpin of a democracy,” she said. “It is the duty of the education system to keep American citizens informed and empowered.”
Bussolati began her career in 2010, teaching in her hometown of Winston-Salem at R. J. Reynolds High School. She has been a teacher in both North and South Carolina and taught in Wake County the past three years.
Bussolati met fellow English teacher Kimberly Jones while working at Governor’s School, leading Bussolati to apply–and get hired–for an English position at Chapel Hill High School when one opened up earlier this year.
“I definitely see passion and enthusiasm in [Bussolati’s] teaching. She is inventive, relevant and reflective in her planning and instruction,” Jones said. “As a colleague at the North Carolina Governor’s School, I had numerous opportunities to co-teach and collaborate with her, and it was always a joy.”
Although her arrival coincides with the shift to online learning first semester, Bussolati finds positives in the unusual situation.
“All teachers being in the same position, in some ways, is comforting: everyone is just as lost as I am,” Bussolati said.
Still, Bussolati said, there are challenges to remote instruction.
“It is just a weird transition. I am trying to start class by trying to get to know my students and getting them comfortable talking and sharing,” she said.
Indeed, connecting with and engaging students has been one of the English teacher’s greatest challenges.
“There are still kids who won’t engage–some who are obviously doing something else despite having their monitor on– but, over the course of the year, I hope to change that,” Bussolati said.
Given the shift to remote instruction, students like Emma Thomas, a senior in Honors English 12, are still figuring out how best to learn digitally, but Thomas said Bussolati’s ability to make the learning relevant and accessible has made the transition less stressful.
“I do find myself trying hard to stay focused throughout the day, especially when I do my homework in my room near my phone or bed,” Thomas said. “Ms. Bussolati has helped students navigate this new learning environment by posting weekly lists of what we are going to do, making class engaging and answering emails quickly.”
Senior Claudia Wade has taken note of Bussolati’s flexibility and willingness to respond to student feedback.
“[Bussolati’s] teaching style really caters to the needs of the students,” Wade, who is taking Honors English 12, said. “If something isn’t working getting through to students, she will change her teaching in a way that is more presentable.”
Bussolati said she prioritizes open and discussion-oriented classes. Her students are currently studying the criminal justice system and the job market in modern America–both of which tie into Bussolati’s goal of educating future voters.
“Really, my goal is to ask students to consider things that maybe they hadn’t before or to flesh out ideas they’ve had percolating but had not had a chance to commit to paper,” she said.
And while students may not necessarily put those thoughts onto actual paper this year, Bussolati is still optimistic she can engage students in the same way her AP Government teacher did her own senior year.
