Story by Kaden Bessent

Erica Templeton has been a teacher for 15 years, and now approaches her fifth year teaching fourth grade reading at Early. Templeton followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a teacher herself.

“As a child, I was blessed to have a remarkable mother who demonstrated that teaching was far more than just a job. I always loved hearing all about her students, reading the books she used, and visiting her classroom as often as I could. I knew I wanted to be just like her when I grew up,” Templeton said.

Aside from her mother, other teachers also influenced Templeton. “I had numerous teachers that impacted my learning and inspired me to become a teacher, but Mrs. Jacobs and Mrs. Self will always be the reminder of the teacher I strive to be,” Templeton said. “Both of these teachers showed me kindness, compassion, and patience every day – three qualities that are now the foundation of my own teaching.”

Templeton earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s at West Texas A&M University. Her teaching career began at Bushland ISD, a small district in the panhandle, where she grew up.

As for why she teaches reading, Templeton said, “It’s my passion. I want my students to not only gain confidence in their reading ability, but also come to know the impact literature can have on their lives.”

For what’s rewarding about teaching, Templeton said, “The most rewarding part of teaching is seeing a student succeed. Every success, big or small, is worth celebrating.”

Regarding the future, Templeton said, “What excites me the most about the future of teaching is I get to watch a child grow through his or her educational journey well past my classroom. It’s an incredible experience to see a class walk the stage at their high school graduation knowing I was lucky enough to be a part of so many lives.”

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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.