Raising the Barr

BY LINDSEY HANNAH AND SAVANNAH KEYSER

Walking into room 616, the first thing that hits you is the comforting smell of paint and parchment. A room full of colorful forms plastered to the walls is a starck contrast to the prosaic drawl of mainstream education, and offers a welcome escape for over a hundred students who stream through the door every day for class. This is the classroom of the new art teacher, Irma Barr. Despite starting with CCHS just this year, Barr is a seasoned teacher and artist, with years of experience and expertise to pass on to her students.

Mrs. Barr has always had an interest in the arts, largely due to the influence of her mother. She was surrounded by that artistic influence and embraced it as much as possible. Barr was always cutting and pasting, creating art out of a paper bag, or whatever was around.

“My mom is very artistic and growing up, she taught me how to sew on a sewing machine,” Barr said. “I know how to knit, sew, paint… We did all that stuff growing up as kids.”

Her mom wasn’t the only childhood figure who encouraged Barr to take up an interest in art; Barr had two very influential teachers that inspired her from a very young age. Her fifth grade teacher, Mr. Rowe, who also happened to be her next door neighbor growing up, as well as her high school art teacher Mr. Globerman, played a large role in introducing Barr to the world of art and her place in it. These immense influences were the inspiration for her to pursue the arts. Rowe saw Barr grow up and even after he wasn’t her teacher anymore, he continued to have an influence on her. Barr even stays in contact with him and his wife today.

Barr’s teacher Mr. Globerman also had a very big impact on her and her artistic abilities. He taught her many ways to be a better artist, as well as helped Barr learn how to express herself through her art. He showed her not to be afraid to try new things, and that even if you don’t like the end result, you at least still tried something and learned from the experience.

“They were both so encouraging. They’re probably the reason I do what I do. They just touched my life in such a way.” Barr said.

When Barr left high school, she went to college at Long Island University. She wanted to become a commercial artist so she declared her major in the arts. After doing an commercial art internship for a summer, Barr realized that she didn’t like what she was doing and decided to change her major and go into art education.

“ I just love teaching kids and I love art so I figured putting the two of them together would be a great combination.” Barr said.

Barr started her teaching career as an art teacher at Sunshine Elementary in Miramar, Florida. She taught art for eight years. After her eighth year of teaching, the school had to make budget cuts and her position as art teacher was cut. Barr stayed on as a kindergarten teacher instead. She continued teaching kindergarten for 19 years, hoping that an art position would open again. A spot opened up at Cooper City High this year after the Mrs. Sharp, the art teacher before her, retired. Barr went to the interview and got the position. Now that she teaches at a high school, Barr has the chance to teach some of her previous kindergarten students. Some of her students in her classes are now seniors, and some of them she just knows from seeing them around Embassy even if she didn’t actually have them.

“It’s awesome to see how much they’ve grown, and it’s funny because, facially, you really don’t change much, whether you realized that or not.” Barr said.

With having a new teacher, the art program is bound to have some sort of change. Barr doesn’t have any drastic changes in mind, but she hopes to get the community more involved in the art program.

Barr’s favorite aspect of showing up to work every morning is to be a first-hand witness to the progress she sees in every one of her students. The difference she makes in the lives of her pupils is the greatest reward Barr could ask for, even if it is just offering a reprieve from the stress of life through self expression and a judgment-free atmosphere.

Though teaching art to the posterity of creatives gives her the most profound joy she has know, Barr does not envision herself teaching forever. She plans to go beyond her optional retirement in two years, having taught for 28, however her ideas for what is to follow her retirement are quite a bit different from her current employment.

“Someday I hope to open my own shop of some kind,” Barr said. “My dream was to always open up a hallmark store. I just love cards and notes and all that kind of stuff that you get for people… I love to write notes and give people things like that.”

Wherever life leads her, Barr can rest assured knowing that she has made a difference in the lives of her students. Through art and education, Barr has found what few of us ever will: a passion that can carry you through life spreading joy and color, and influencing others to do the same.