Though charter schools are new to Alabama, Birmingham-Southern students are getting direct experience working with one of the first tuition-free charter schools in Birmingham – I3 Academy.

Dr. Gay Barnes with Rylee Segrest Baxter ’18.

The BSC Department of Education has developed a strong relationship with I3, and several education majors have completed their internships at the school, located in Woodlawn. Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Gay Barnes says the school’s goals blend well with those of BSC faculty.

“We subscribe to a constructivist philosophy in both how we teach our students and how we want future educators to teach, and I3 is very much aligned with that teaching,” Barnes says. “We want to see children develop a sense of agency and see themselves as problem-solvers. When you’re in a classroom, you have to give students the opportunities to discover things on their own and construct that knowledge.”

“I3” stands for imagine, investigate, and innovate – the core principles that the school has prioritized since opening in August 2020. Barnes has seen these in action through I3’s emphasis on social and emotional learning, foreign language, and the arts. The school also has a full-time makerspace teacher, who plans hands-on, explorative lessons and activities.

Kourtney Nilsen ’21.

Kourtney Nilsen ’21 did her student teaching at I3 and has worked at the school since February. She began her placement with third grade students in fall 2020, worked in the Literacy Lab as a paraprofessional in January, and began a long-term substitute placement in third grade in the spring. This fall, she will be teaching special education.

“I love the community and sense of belonging that I3 Academy brings to not only their students, but also their staff,” Nilsen says. “From my very first day as an intern, I have felt like part of the I3 family. I am so thankful for how they welcome everyone with open arms and equip students with the tools they need to be successful agents of change.”

Stepping into her own classroom for the first time in February has been one of her favorite moments at I3. The first few weeks were a challenge, but Nilsen says her class was eager to learn and grow, setting them up for an amazing semester.

“My professors’ focus on being constructivist teachers and allowing our students to be active participants in their own learning has proven to be successful in creating student engagement and fostering a love for learning,” she says.

I3’s Head of School Dr. Martin Nalls has been interested in recruiting BSC student teachers and paraprofessionals every term. Barnes had previously provided literacy consulting and coaching for I3 and has always valued Nalls’ work and admires I3’s approach to creating a productive and supportive learning culture.

When BSC hosted the Association for Constructivist Teaching Conference on justice and equity in 2020, Barnes and Associate Professor of Education Dr. Kelly Russell selected Nalls as one of the keynote speakers. The department hopes to see more students work with I3 and apply teaching philosophies and principles in their classrooms.

“It’s unusual to find this kind of emphasis on makerspaces, emotional learning, and STEAM in a school,” Barnes says. “It’s created some great experiences for our students, even if they don’t end up teaching there.”

This story was included in a special education edition of From the Hilltop, Birmingham-Southern’s alumni email newsletter.

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