I always thought talking about giving birth with a group of teenagers would be awkward; however, parenting was a class I looked forward to everyday.
Mrs. Barbee is a reliable and easy-to-talk-to teacher. I knew that everyday in class there would be a new topic of discussion -- even if it is something gross.  Some of the topics in Mrs. Barbee’s parenting class included the development of a baby, the different things pregnant women go through, and differences in families. This was helpful in showing the class how much work a pregnancy and starting a family can be. It made me feel that when the time comes and I want to have a child that I will have a better understanding of what is going on.
In class, she brought up her own experiences. She also engaged us in conversation about what our parents said we did as children. This is important because the class understood how every child is different. Mrs. Barbee was always open about her experiences and this made it easier to talk to her.
When most teenage girls think of their future children, the first thing that pops into their head is what they are going to name him or her. But Mrs. Barbee makes you think much more in depth than that. She had us come up with our future baby’s name, roughly how much having a child costs, and we even had to take care of a baby simulator for the weekend (that was almost exactly like a real baby). Each of these shows that there is a lot more than just picking a name that goes into having a child. This definitely made me feel that I should wait to have children until I know that I can handle the task.
The  best quality of Mrs. Barbee is that is a great listener. One time in class, Mrs. Barbee asked us a question about families and the next thing you know, we had a class discussion about what our family is like and what we would change when we are parents. I used to think parents were just out to get their children, but after that discussion, I learned that they are still in the learning process and parenting isn’t something that comes easily.
Her class is one I will never forget. She was like a jester, making our class erupt with contagious laughter and helping create good moods all around. It made the class go quickly and I looked forward to her class.Thank you, Mrs. Barbee, for being one of the best teachers that I have had the opportunity to be taught by and for such an unforgettable class.