For many Trinity alumni, their earliest memories include Mrs. Brashear. As a seasoned teacher with 32 years of experience and 20 years of that at Trinity, she will say her favorite thing about teaching, is ”the children!”
Mrs. Brashear loves to see the excitement in the children when they try something new or figure something out for the first time. She says first grade is filled with many “firsts.” The step from kindergarten to first grade is big, but she says it’s important to meet each child where they are. She believes what makes her successful with her students is her approach to really getting to know each child, their strengths, and their areas to work on. She also makes sure that learning is always fun. Her approach to learning through the use of songs, chants, strategies, and hands-on activities with her students ensures they have fun while working on reading, math, and other skills. Her classroom is structured because she says the classical program builds one layer at a time, is engaging, and is conducive to still having fun. She sets the bar high for students, but also believes in bringing them along the journey at their own pace.
Past students describe Mrs. Brashear as strict with a strong dose of grace and compassion. She will tell you that she is strict because she loves her students; she desires to help her students grow academically as well as in character to get each student ready for the next level. She tries different approaches based on what she thinks the students need, all in an effort to reach each and every student. She also enjoys working with her colleagues; Trinity has three first grade classes. The teachers have planning time together which allows them to collaborate and learn from each other a variety of approaches used to successfully benefit students.
You might see Mrs. Brashear on campus after school; she’s been serving the school for many years as one of the after-school staff members. What started as a way to bring in a little more compensation has now become a way she serves our students and families. She loves to still be able to work with students that she used to have in first grade, help with homework, and sometimes just enjoy being outside with the students. More than anything, she knows the Trinity families rely on the after-school program, so she enjoys fulfilling that need while also being with the children. Her time working in the after-school care program often means that she takes work home to grade and get ready for the next day, but she doesn’t mind grading papers at home because it allows her to see each student’s progress. Other sacrifices she’s made for her students include meeting before school for a reading club, attending sporting events, school plays, and even a child’s ballet recital. These are all ways she’s engaged with students to get to know them better; this enhances her relationships with each student in the classroom.
After all these years as she looks back, her favorite thing now is to teach God’s word to the children. She says it started years ago as teaching the Bible and now she sees it as an opportunity to bring children toward a closer relationship with Jesus. She finds this a daily honor. Thank you, Mrs. Brashear, what you do matters!
