Fall is officially here, and this month’s Teacher of the Month, Mrs. Claire Brown, is very excited to welcome the season with her first-grade class at St. James Episcopal School. “My students have taught me each day is a new adventure,” shared Mrs. Brown. “I plan to take them on nature walks around our beautiful campus and take in all the sights and sounds of fall.“
The class is also looking forward to creating a storybook pumpkin to be entered into the carved pumpkin contest at their annual school/church Fall Festival. They will also have a school-wide Thanksgiving picnic, which everyone anticipates each year.
“I look forward to reading many fall books to them too,” Mrs. Brown shared, regarding keeping her 6 and 7-year-old students motivated. “I try to plan engaging lessons and activities that will help them learn. We use various literacy and math centers that they look forward to each day.”
Mrs. Brown has been teaching for twelve years. She graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education, Early Childhood, and Elementary Education from Samford University and then earned her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from The University of South Alabama.
“First grade is such a fun age to teach. The children still have so much innocence and are always full of compliments,” said Mrs. Brown. “They are little sponges just waiting to soak it all up! It is rewarding to watch them grow and develop throughout the school year.”
Each morning, Mrs. Brown loves walking into her classroom where her students anxiously await to share stories of what’s happening in their homes. They also love to bring in artwork for her desk.
“I enjoy going to chapel with my students each week. It is one of the most joyful noises to hear children singing for Jesus,” shared Mrs. Brown when asked about her favorite teaching moment. It is essential to Mrs. Brown that she has the opportunity to share and celebrate her faith in her classroom.
“God hand-picks each child in your class,” Mrs. Brown shared, regarding advice for those new to the teaching community. “You spend so much time with them and can be such a positive role model. Take the time to listen to their stories, even if it is for the 100th time. Not every day is going to have those lightbulb moments, but don’t forget the reason you chose to be a teacher.”
Claire and her husband Tyler reside in Fairhope, AL with their two children Ann Parrish (5) and Hardison (2). She enjoys spending time with her family outside and reading a good book in her spare time. She also loves to organize and says if she wouldn’t have pursued teaching she probably would have been a professional organizer.
