The NWN sat down with Science teacher Chris Barnett to talk about teaching, Niles West, and biology.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about being a teacher?

A: I like the ability to be creative with it. I get to design my own curriculum plan, of course I have to cover certain topics but how I do it up to me. I’ve taken my biology classes to the local forest preserve, it’s fun for my students to do more engaging things verses labs all the time.

Q: Why did you become a biology teacher? Have you always been good at biology?

A: Since I was a kid, I’ve liked being outdoors. I enjoyed camping, canoeing, and hiking. In high school, I knew I wanted to do something with life science, maybe work in a national park or a zoo. But no, I wasn’t too good at biology in school; I was more of a B student.

Q: If you could have one super power what would it be?

A: The first thing that pops into my head is flying. I don’t know why, however, I do like traveling.

Q: If you could change one thing about Niles West what would that be?

A: I would make Niles West more of a place that facilitates skills. Skills like reading, writing and technology. If it takes students 2 years or 5 years to do that, that’s fine.

Q: If you could change places with anyone for a day, who would you want to be?

A: I really like watching and playing soccer, so I would switch places to a professional soccer player in Europe because I’d like to see how it would be to do that as a career.

Q: If you hadn’t become a biology teacher, what would you be doing?

A: I would probably being doing some type of outside education, maybe working for the national park service or leading hiking trails.

Q: What activities, outside of school, do you like to do?

A: I play a lot of soccer. I also love spending time with my two wonderful kids, Jason and Julia.