Dr. Charlotte Shackleford Brings Empathy to the Classroom
Beck Wells | September 30, 2025
On meeting Dr. Charlotte Shackleford, the first things one notices are her bright smile and warm personality. While some teachers parade stickers and posters with catchy slogans about kindness and good character, Shackleford simply radiates genuine love and care for people, without a boasting sticker in sight. She is what you might call a ‘people first’ teacher, starting every class by checking in on every student’s emotional and mental well-being, and approaching every lesson with empathy.
Despite her immense talent for the job, Shackleford’s career did not begin in teaching. After a rough first semester of college as an education major, she switched career paths and became a court mediator, spending her days settling civil disputes. From this position, she was hired by the school system in Charlotte, N.C., to settle disputes with the parents of the district. Shortly after her hiring, however, her position drastically changed.
“I got a call on a Thursday night that they had lost funding for the position, and [they wanted to know] how [I felt] about teaching,” Shackleford said.
With no prior experience and no teaching degree, Shackleford tentatively agreed to the position. She already considered herself an educator, so transitioning into classroom teaching was a smaller leap than most would think. Shackleton joined her first classroom the following Monday, and she instantly fell in love with the profession.
“It was the first time I really felt certain about what I wanted to do, or what I wanted to accomplish…” Shackleford said. “Teaching energizes me.”
This vigor is evident in the way Shackleford leads her classes. As adjunct faculty, it would be remarkably easy to show up to her 6-9 p.m. educational psychology class with half energy, but Shackleford does not seem to do anything by halves. Each of Shackleton’s classes includes a game so that everyone gets up and moving, which helps the three hours pass quickly. Shackleford is enthusiastic in her teaching; she understands the shortcomings of others and is honest about her own. The first day of class, she openly told her students about her struggles with ADHD as a student herself. She invites discussions at every turn and makes sure that everyone feels included and heard.
Thus far, Shackleford is happy to be here at WWC and is happy with the freedom working at the college has afforded both her and students.
“I love teaching college,” Shackleford said. “It’s really fun. I love that I can throw candy at you!… There's flexibility. You guys can cuss, and no one cares. There’s a freedom in that that you don’t get in traditional schools, and so it’s been really fun.”