Kanika Chopra (@k_chopra3) | #BowTieTuesday

Published by Bow Tie Joe on April 24, 2018

Introduction: This week’s #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight goes to another rockstar educator that I had the pleasure of meeting in my doctoral program. While our approaches to the way we handle our assignment deadlines could not be more dichotomous (I’m much more relaxed about those things, hard to believe, I know!), I have come to admire and respect the level of professionalism and intellect she demonstrates during our classes together. The Edu-Rock Star that I’ll be recognizing this week is none other than Ms. Kanika Chopra (@k_chopra3), a high school English teacher.

Educational Pursuit: Kanika has less than five years of teaching experience but is a young, motivated teacher who has no ceiling on what she is capable of. She obtained a Master’s degree from Rutgers University and is back again for her doctorate in education, her concentration being the design of learning environments. When asked why she decided to enter the world of education she jokingly remarked that she wished she had a better answer to that question. She’s always enjoyed reading, exploring, and seeking to understand “why do things happen the way they do” and “how do we know this is true”? While this inquiry-framed personality has gotten her into some trouble, it has also opened many doors for her, including a career in education.

Most Memorable Moment: Three years ago, Kanika had a student from Portugal that spoke very little English and he began writing poetry in Portuguese. She learned a little Portuguese to be able to communicate with him and understand them, while he made a dedicated effort to learn some English. What was most compelling about this experience was that he used a series of narrative poems to come out as gay. He said it was the first time he was ever able to express it. This student has since returned to Portugal and while Kanika has had several meaningful moments in her classroom, this one holds a special place in her heart.

Personal Learning Interests:  Kanika has devoted copious amounts of time over the last several months in pursuing her educational interests and they, alongside her personal learning interests, have kind of melded into one. She is fascinated by brain science and always has been. More specifically, she is currently looking at the intersection between cognitive empathy and literary perspective-taking.

The Fun Stuff

Kanika’s go-to Karaoke Song: Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen Campbell…and she’s not even embarrassed! I am, for you. Just kidding. 🙂

Kanika’s Inside Scoop: Kanika really loves to dance. This is not to be confused with “She is a dancer,” because trust her…she’s not. Despite all of this, you can still catch her pirouetting across the living room floor or breakdancing in the kitchen.

Thank you, Kanika, for your heartfelt efforts to improve education each and every day you step foot inside a classroom. I cannot begin to describe the positive impact you have had on my PLN and I look forward to many more years learning and growing together! I truly appreciate all that you do to keep moving education forward.