Celebrating BrainSMART's 20-Year Anniversary: Teachers Speak

After posting news of BrainSMART's upcoming 20th anniversary, we are delighted to have received many responses stating there will be pictures and stories coming!

One teacher leader's response came in minutes after our posting to say that she would be back in touch very soon. Below is teacher leader Dr. Kara Kehrer's celebration entry.

To those teacher leaders, administrators, and others who are sending entries, Marcus and I want to say that just as everybody's brain is as unique as a fingerprint, so will be your individual stories!

In Celebration of 20 Years!

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my role as a teacher leader is to encounter other teachers who are passionate, gifted, and innovative. I believe the sole reason I so readily recognize and seek out positivity in colleagues and fellow educators is a direct result of education I received from my mentors, Dr. Donna Wilson and Dr. Marcus Conyers, and their BrainSmart organization.

Differentiation is an educational buzzword that is tossed about today, but often misunderstood. For me, as an educator with experience in a wide realm of classrooms, it can at times be overwhelming and ambiguous in nature. This is where I cling tightly to my BrainSmart education, grounded in research, that consistently guides me back to positivity. Isn’t our goal as teachers to address a child’s needs as unique and individual? If we believe this, we must act accordingly in providing specific strategies that support specific learners’ needs and strengths, affective development, and of course physical health and wellbeing.

The beauty of Donna and Marcus’ research, support, and endless encouragement in the field of education and brain-based research is that they support the learner in a comprehensive approach that is a delight to use and explore in your personal classroom. The Cracker Jack surprise is the fact that the positivity generated from the BrainSmart approach is indeed a contagious delight that will serve you well as a teacher leader for the entirety of your career!

With infinite gratitude,
Dr. Kara R. Kehrer

(Photo and story posted courtesy of Dr. Kara Kehrer.)