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Can you tell us about yourself? 

“I am Lisa Brown. I am a 3^rd grade teacher at Dyer-Kelly. We are in Sacramento, CA and this is my 1^st year at Dyer-Kelly.”

Why did you start a career in education?

“Why did I start my career in education? I have always loved working with kids. My mother was an educator. I love teaching kids. It is something really fun and different and engaging every day.”

If you could have any other job what would it be and why?

“If I could have any other job what would it be? I have no idea. It always kind of scares me because education is where I like to be. I do have a master’s in technology and curriculum development. I thought about doing more of a mentor job, staying in education but not necessarily in the classroom.”

How are kids different now than 30 years ago?

“There is so much we teach that’s different now. If its differentiation for our students, if its common core that is different. If its whole language versus phonics that we do, and we talk about helicopter parents and everything else. But it’s technology, like being able to have the earbuds, makes a difference we do these days.”

How is teaching different now than 30 years ago?

“So teaching is different with the technology that we have, absolutely. It has to be vital. It’s integrated in everything that we do. Our Lexia program that we started up, IReady program, the testing we do for the state is all done on-line. So that is something we have to change. So, the kids kind of have to adapt to that as well as the teachers.”

What would you tell someone who wants to become a teacher?

“We have a lot of student teachers at our school. So, we talk about that a lot. I still tell them that I love being a teacher. But there is a lot of things they have to figure out on their own. Are they okay with buying with their own money? Are they okay with begging for earbuds on a YouTube video? Those are things that are just apart of teacher life and if you know and you love it, then its okay. Otherwise, you have to rethink things.

What is one thing you would change to help kids learn better?

“Being able to have the technology support that I need in my classroom, like earbuds! But honestly other than that, having a lot of support in their homes. At our school, we have 100% free and reduced lunch. We have 80% EL’s in my classroom. I think 60% of our students are refugees from Afghanistan. They need a lot of support at home and not necessarily able to get it. So, being able to have that bridge for our community of what our school’s able to do with what the parents are able to do. I think is really one great way to help kids learn better.”