I interviewed Mrs. Bradford, a 5th grade science teacher here at the EMS. Read below to learn more about her!
Why did you choose to become a teacher?
I chose to become a teacher because I enjoy working with students. I love showing students the big, amazing world that we live in!
What do you enjoy most about teaching and why?
The thing I enjoy most about teaching is seeing students excited to learn.
What is the most challenging part of your job and why?
The most challenging part of my job is keeping up with grading 100+ students’ work. Students think they have a lot of work to do, but then teachers have to grade all of it!
What advice do you have for students to succeed in school?
Try your best. We notice students who put forth effort. Ask questions if you don’t understand something.
How long have you been teaching?
This is my fourth year as a licensed classroom teacher.
What inspired you to become a teacher?
A teacher I had in middle school, Ms. Erica, and my math teacher in high school, Mrs. Brightsen. Both of them loved what they did and were really great teachers who believed in me.
What is one fun fact about you?
I grew up in Peru and the Philippines. When I was in 8th grade, my class only had six students. Most of my middle school years were spent in one classroom, where 6th, 7th, and 8th graders were all taught together.
If you weren’t a teacher, what job would you have?
Great question… If I weren’t a teacher, I might have been an archaeologist.
What advice would you give to future teachers?
Take a deep breath. Do what you can to show students what you love. Prioritize classroom management in whatever form works best for you.
What’s your overall best memory about teaching?
Two come to mind: 1) Building sleds with my 3D art class, and 2) Taking my 7th grade science classes out to the woods in South Carolina while learning about abiotic and biotic elements within an ecosystem. Many students had never been in the woods before, and it was a lot of fun!
