Story by Kaden Bessent
Going into her 12th year of teaching and 11th at East Elementary, Natasha Brown is gearing up for another year of teaching third grade, which she refers to as “the best grade.”
Brown became a teacher because the schedule allowed for her to stay family-oriented. “Even though teachers work 10-12-hour days when school starts, it’s a family-friendly job. I can attend my kids’ activities, but I have time off when they are off, with the exception of a few summer work days. Choosing a career where I could be present in my kids’ lives was at the top of my list.”
It was an unusual path for Brown. She went to high school in Colorado and didn’t begin college until she was 26. Brown earned her degree from Western Governors University, an online college.
Regarding a teacher that influenced her, Brown said, “In my senior year of high school, I had a PE teacher, Mrs. Rory, who went out of her way to try to help me. I was going to be a teen mom, and she gifted me a bassinet and handmade baby blankets. In return, my final exam was to give a lecture to other students on the hardships of teen parenting. When you feel alone and someone shows you kindness, it matters.”
As for the subject she teaches, Brown said, “I primarily teach math. I love the concreteness of math. It’s either right or wrong. There’s no reading between the lines or deciphering needed. The great thing about math is that there are multiple ways to arrive at the same answer. I make it a point to teach the kids that we all think differently and that’s OK.”
Brown said she loves seeing the student growth throughout the year. “The beginning of the year is always tricky, but the kids always rise to the challenge of the third-grade curriculum and taking their first STAAR test. The kids work hard, and when they show me their data folder for something they accomplished academically, I get to see the internal gratification they get because they did something hard, and they are proud of themselves. That is awesome.”
In terms of the future of teaching, Brown said, “I’m honestly worried about the future of education. There is a teacher shortage, there is a funding shortage, and all the while, the standards are being raised by our government officials. It’s essential to our future generations to vote wisely in future elections.”
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BrownwoodNews.com will highlight one Brown County educator per day in the month of July, based on nominations received on our Facebook page, for our Teacher Feature series.