by Aubrey Vacura
For Kennedy Brell, her first few months of teaching fifth grade have been full of learning, adjusting, and becoming part of a new school community. As a first-year teacher at Elwood, Brell has had the opportunity to experience both the excitement and challenges that come with starting her teaching career.
Brell described her overall experience so far as positive. She said she has enjoyed being part of the Elwood community, as well as the smaller community within the school. Her coworkers have helped her learn the routines and expectations of the school, while her students have also played an important role in her first year. Brell said that she and her students are “growing and learning together” throughout the school year.
One of Brell's biggest challenges has been time management. Balancing lessons, grading, planning, and time outside of school has taken some adjustment. However, she said that time management has become easier each week as she has gotten more familiar with how long her lessons take and developed a routine for her work after school.
One of the highlights of Brell’s first year has been teaching students she already knew from her time as a substitute teacher the previous year. She had spent eight weeks with them before becoming their teacher, making it meaningful for her to return and see their progress. Brell said it has been enjoyable to see how much they have grown over the summer and to continue watching them grow throughout the school year.
As Brell continues through her first year, she is gaining experience, building relationships with her students, and becoming part of the Elwood school community.