A Lifelong Educator With Passion In Her Heart
Dr Sharon Shappley’s life revolves around providing her students with quality education. Her efforts to create and implement a unique interactive software that teaches English and is used across all fields of education has been a 10+ year path full of challenges. Interactive courses that are cumulative, according to the European Standards for language learning, with the assistance of AI, are unlike anything on the market. Making this software priced in such a way as to make it available to the world and not just the rich has been a difficult task for her. Today, that dream is becoming a reality, and as a woman, she is proud of this accomplishment.
In 1962, her family moved to Aruba, and in preschool, she was introduced to the world of multiple languages. She was immediately enthralled by the six languages taught there daily. In 1965, she and her family moved to Puerto Rico, and Spanish was added to her love of languages. She began tutoring in 1973 at the age of 16. Teaching became her life’s goal, and she has been teaching ever since. In 2011, she returned to school and obtained a BS, Master’s, and doctorate in education, specialising in social science, online education, and second language acquisition as an adult.
Dr. Sharon currently teaches in schools and universities online throughout the world. She has taught at a Nursing University, a Military Academy in Puerto Rico, in public and private schools, in homeschool associations, and in Adult Learning organisations. She owned Noah’s Ark preschool, achieving the highest award given in the state of Tennessee. She has taught English extensively, always thinking of ways to teach not random English words but a purposeful vocabulary that would benefit the students for life. She has also taught Latin, Spanish, Critical Thinking, Science, Geography, and History.
Her inspiration comes from the motivations of students who want to learn. Her goal is to provide an interactive learning experience because today’s students use technology, and it provides them with the vocabulary necessary for their success in school and beyond. Making this a viable option for students of any age and country is a lifelong goal. She wants to create lifelong learners who always search for the perfect word.
Regarding her strengths and weaknesses, Dr Sharon says, “Persistence is a strength; you fall, you cry, you get up, and you keep moving forward. Work ethic is another strength. To accomplish your goals, you must be willing to sacrifice leisure time. You must be willing to work harder and longer than you believe possible. Focus is also a strength. What do you want to achieve? Focus on that. Distractions are a weakness. The difficulty of saying NO is a weakness. If you want to succeed, you must admit that your plate is full and not take on tasks that interfere with your goals.”
Balancing one’s professional and personal life is surely no cakewalk. In her personal life, Dr Sharon travels extensively, and her work travels with her. Teaching in multiple time zones while travelling is difficult. She schedules classes early in the morning and late at night to allow her time during the day to work on interactive software development. She believes that educators must experience life, places, people, cultures, and traditions to share their world knowledge. She takes many photos, shares them with her students, and adds them to the courses.
She is a hands-on person but expects deadlines to be met consistently. She mentions, “The tasks are clearly explained, and I make every effort to ensure that others understand not just what they are expected to do, but the required quality and the level of professionalism. I choose staff carefully, I vet them, and I do not accept teachers who are not well-educated. They must be teachable and trainable. They must not be lazy. Tardiness and absenteeism create problems for everyone, so when it cannot be avoided, the teachers are responsible for finding a teammate to cover for them.”
Dr Sharon shares a poignant message for the readers: “Do not lose sight of the value of education. Strive daily to pay it forward, and give every student 100% of your effort, time, and focus. Have a personal goal for your learning and every student you work with. Expand your horizons and bring excitement to your classes. Read for pleasure, travel, and live the best version of your life. Above all, practice kindness to family, friends, and strangers. I wish you happiness and the best life has to offer.”
She has been bestowed with numerous awards and accolades throughout her career, including a 3-star award for the Preschool program in 2001 and 2002. She also won the Education2.0 Visionaries Award at the Education2.0 conference in Las Vegas in 2025 and the Education2.0 Outstanding Organization Award at the Education2.0 conference in Las Vegas in 2025.
