Coming home to Lakeview
Apr. 10—The Lebanon Democrat is in the process of running question-and-answer profiles of the Wilson County educators who have been selected as the teacher of the year in their respective schools.
Those individuals, from the Wilson County School System and the Lebanon Special School District (in addition to two of the county's private schools), are in contention for the Wilson County Teacher of the Year Award, which will be announced later this spring.
The series of profiles continues with a glance at Brittany Koehn, a 3rd grade English Language Arts & Social Studies teacher at Lakeview Elementary School in Mt. Juliet.
Name... Brittany Koehn
School... Lakeview Elementary School, Mt. Juliet
Age ...42
What grade/subject do you teach? 3rd grade English Language Arts and Social Studies
How long have you been in education (total years)? This is my 20th year
How many years have you taught at your current school? This is my 11th year at Lakeview
What other schools have you taught at prior to your current school? Tuckers Crossroads, Elzie D. Patton Elementary
What is something unique about you — whether it's a hobby, skill or past accomplishment — that most people likely wouldn't be aware of? Over the years my husband and I have had 6 dogs, two guinea pigs, a whole school of fish, and several hermit crabs. We named them all after Disney movie characters.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time (hobbies, etc.)? Reading, traveling, hiking, visiting new places, spending time with family and friends
Is there anything unique about your teaching situation that you'd like to detail? While maybe not all that unique, I left the typical classroom several years ago to teach reading intervention. While I enjoyed being an interventionist and helping struggling readers find success, I really missed having my "own" classroom of kiddos and went back into the classroom three years ago.
How would you describe your teaching style? I do my best to keep things positive in my classroom and encourage all students to have a growth mindset. I have high expectations, and I lay out at the start of the year what I expect from each student, hard work being a priority. I am enthusiastic about teaching and learning, and hope that this energy rubs off on my sweet students.
Could you share a couple of strategies for how you keep students engaged and motivated? The biggest motivator I have found yet...when a student truly knows that you care about them, they will work to make you proud.
Have you ever encountered a challenge in teaching that required you to rethink your teaching methods and/or approach? Absolutely. Every year is different and brings in a whole new challenge: students with all new learning styles, preferences, backgrounds, and strengths. Honestly, I feel that every year is a challenge with a new group of students until we spend a few weeks "getting in the groove."
What is different, unique and/or enjoyable about the school that you are currently teaching at? I was at Lakeview Eagle from kindergarten through sixth grade and always wanted to come back to teach here. Lakeview is home to me. Eagle Pride!
Why did you choose teaching as a career path? The amazing teachers that I had growing up, coupled with my love of learning, helped guide my decision to become a teacher. It really was something that I always knew I wanted to do, at least since kindergarten.
What is the most fulfilling part of teaching? Making connections with students.
What is the most challenging part of teaching? Managing all there is to do.
How has your view of teaching changed since you first embarked on your teaching career? As I have gotten older, and even become a parent myself, I feel like I learned to be a much more compassionate teacher, and much more "go with the flow."
How have you seen the profession change over the course of your career, and how do you see it continuing to evolve going forward? There seems to be so much less autonomy in teaching now versus when I started.
If there was any one variable that you could control or enhance to help with the educational process, what would that be and why? I wish I could get all the stakeholders to the polls every voting season!
Who is somebody who has been especially impactful in your teaching career, and why did he/she make such an impact on you? Picking one person seems impossible because there have been so many. I will pick one that has been impactful to myself and my family. Joan Quinn was the 2nd grade teacher to my two boys, my teammate for several years, and my dear friend. She is the best teacher I have ever known and loves and believes in all of her students something fierce.
Could you share what has been one of your most memorable moments in teaching? One of my favorite memories was when I was teaching 2nd grade several years ago and my class decided to complete 100 Acts of Kindness for Valentine's Day. I might not have taught a formal lesson on it, but those students learned so much that week.
What is the most meaningful thing a student could say to you? That they knew I cared for them.
How would you ideally like to be characterized or remembered as a teacher? I want to be a teacher who, in some way, makes a positive difference on every student she has.
