A number of teachers at Townsend Harris have a lot in common with their students. These teachers once attended the school, carrying stacks of books for advanced coursework, staying up all night studying for their Greek or Latin tests, and struggling to climb the flights of stairs that separate physical education classes from science classes. One of the longest-serving alumni educators is AP Psychology and AP Environmental Science teacher Shi Bing Shen, who spoke to The Classic about her path from Townsend Harris student to Townsend Harris teacher.

Ms. Shen’s journey in education started in the 1990s when she immigrated from China to the US and became a sophomore at Townsend Harris. She said biology became one of her favorite subjects because of her teacher, Mr. Wagner. “He’s probably always going to be the science teacher I respect the most,” she said.

After THHS, Ms. Shen decided to pursue a Pre-Med track at Binghamton University. She noted she had to pivot after being unable to apply to medical school due to a missing recommendation letter, and decided to work alongside her ecology professor Dr. Stamp in researching pest control. She had initially planned to continue working with Dr. Stamp, earn a master’s degree, and then reapply to medical school for a second time.

It was through this research experience and partnership with Dr. Stamp that Ms. Shen was also able to get a TA scholarship. This enabled her to teach Introduction to Biology and Ecology, while receiving a stipend and waived tuition.

“I fell in love with teaching,” she said. “And so I went to see the head of the education department in SUNY Bing. And I said, ‘What do I need to do if I want to be a science teacher one day?’”

Ms. Shen then took education courses and received both her master’s degree in Biology and Education.

As she was heading to a job interview for a position at Bayside High School, she decided to visit former THHS principal Dr. Malcolm Largmann. After a conversation, Ms. Shen later received a phone call from him offering her a teaching position at THHS. Even with a successful interview at Bayside, she decided to accept the job at THHS.

Starting out, Ms. Shen originally taught both math and science classes. After a few years, she was abruptly assigned to teach AP Psychology after the previous teacher left.

“It took me a long time to prepare for every lesson…So I had a lot of the college textbooks [on] psychology, and any [other] resources I could get. And it took me literally two to three hours every night making lessons,” she said.

Junior Zainah Syed, one of Ms. Shen’s AP Psychology students, said, “[Ms. Shen] makes class really fun. […] [She] always has fun anecdotes that connect to what we’re learning about it, and it makes topics easier to remember.”

Junior and AP Psychology students Hiba Malik said, “Ms. Shen is a nice and understanding teacher [who is] accommodating when she needs to be, and is open to questions.”

After about two years of teaching AP Psychology, she decided she also wanted to teach a course she thoroughly enjoyed, AP Environmental Science.

Senior Michael Lugo, one of Ms. Shen’s AP Environmental Science students, said that while Ms. Shen’s unique teaching style took a while to get used to, she is an “amazing and pure teacher.”

Science teacher Katherine Cooper shared that her friendship with Ms. Shen began over 20 years ago when she was interviewed to become a science teacher at Townsend Harris. From sharing the same birthday to teaching the same science courses, Ms. Cooper said Ms. Shen is her “eternal prom date.”

Ms. Cooper said that she admires Ms. Shen’s “no nonsense” attitude, saying, “she tells [everything] like it is, even if you don’t want to hear it, and sometimes [you] need to hear it.”

Reflecting on their friendship over the years, Ms Cooper said, “We balance each other […] on days where I’m on low energy, she picks me up, [and] on days where she’s struggling, I can do that for her.”

Reflecting on her career pivot from medicine to teaching, Ms. Shen said, “Now looking back, I think it’s a blessing [in] disguise, because I’m much happier [with] my career choice. I’m not sure if I’d be equally fulfilled as a medical doctor. I’m happy teaching. I think [I have found] my niche.”