Balance

Balance. It can be difficult to find, but balance must be struck in the classroom. Balance between order and chaos. Too tight a grip and an ordered classroom is impossible. Too loose a grip and an ordered classroom is impossible. Students will always bring an element of chaos into the room. Not maliciously nor even intentionally. They are human, and humans always carry chaos within--more so for children and teens still growing and developing.

The students I teach are children. Young teens discovering who they are and who they want to be. The lessons they learn are not confined to the classroom, and the lessons they're most interested in are found in the social interactions between peers and adults outside of their immediate families. Minds wander far too easily, distractions are abundant, and I would be a fool to believe I could eliminate it all.

I accept and embrace the chaos as an inevitability, choosing to guide the untamable storm towards learning and growth. I get to know my students, their interests, and peek into the secret lives they live outside of the classroom. What I learn from them I infuse into lesson planning. Therein, I hope to equip them with the tools leading to academic success and the ability to make positive choices in the secret lives lived beyond the protective gates of the school.

Getting to know them and infusing their interest into my lessons allows them to see themselves reflected in the curriculum. Classroom learning no longer seems cold and distant, rather inviting and familiar. More students than not respond to this approach. Even when they hate my subject area, they are still willing to approach when they see themselves celebrated in the classroom. Not every student will respond positively. Not every student will be reached. Not every student will care or appreciate the hard work I pour into the classroom, and that is okay. I didn't come for applause or to be thanked. I came to do what I love and to arm my students with the power to remake the world in their image.

The chaos is a constant. It will always be a constant. I embrace it, and in doing so, I begin to find a balance from which a safe and effective learning environment takes shape.

Quick Write Prompt: "...try to understand."

How are we showing respect when trying to understand other people? In the context of respecting yourself and others, what do we mean when we say we should ". . .try to understand"?

A New Beginning: Another Chapter

After twenty years, I have arrived at a new chapter in my life's journey. I earned my teaching credentials. I am teaching in the one context I swore I would never teach in--middle school. I was willing to teach high school, adult school, and continuation school, but the idea of teaching middle school terrified me. However, after completing my student teaching assignment at a middle school in a neighboring town, I fell in love with my little weirdos. My students were at such a fun age--still children but transitioning towards adulthood and attempting to find a balance between both worlds. Yes, the kids could be wild at times, disrespectful, contentious, and otherwise have bad days, but everyone has bad days. My seventh graders also had amazing days, eyes lighting up when they understood the learning goals, excitedly collaborating with classmates to solve problems and figure out difficult solutions. For all the negative that can be said about youth growing up in a hard world, there are more positive things to reveal.

When I saw a seventh grade teaching position available in a nearby rural community, I eagerly leapt at the opportunity. I submitted a packet, hoping the school would give me the chance to do what I have always wanted to do, teach. The interview went well, and I was called for a second interview where I was offered the position. There are challenges and much I still have to learn, but I love what I do. The students are amazing, even on their bad days. They engage, even when the material isn't their favorite.

I am grateful for the twenty-year journey that brought me to this moment. It is exciting and scary and wonderful, and it is my privilege to be here, serving both my students and their community.

A Quick Write Prompt for Students

What do you think is the meaning, or message, of this text? What is it trying to say to the audience?

To My 7th Grade ELA Students | June 5, 2025

 A Letter to My Students

The Letter

To My Seventh Grade ELA Students

June 5, 2025

Dear Students,

You often asked me which class was my favorite. Just as often, I affirmed that your class was my favorite. My answer scandalized some of you. You were sure that this was the answer I gave every student and every class. You were right. This was my answer to all of you. With the year drawing to a close, I am ready to come clean and confess. My favorite class was yours, and you were my favorite student.

I know. I know. I can hear your voices now. “Mr. Brewer! We can’t all be your favorite!” Well, you’re wrong. You were my favorite student, and yours was my favorite class to teach. While you saw yourselves as six separate and disconnected classes, I saw you as one class, a single community of students that made up my seventh-grade English class.

This is why respect is the foundation of my classroom. I was unwilling to accept my favorite students being disrespected or watching them disrespect others. Whether you see it now or not, we need each other. Our lives are interconnected, interwoven—what hurts one will eventually hurt all. Have grace for one another. Be kind. Be merciful. It is a far more courageous and powerful thing to do. Anyone can be cruel. Anyone can be mean. It is weak energy. Low-hanging fruit that is too easy and far beneath you. Take the better path.

You have taught me that every student has a secret life that teachers and others are not privy to. There is a world in which you exist outside the confines of the classroom, outside of the school itself. For some, this world is a hard place with overwhelming challenges. That is why I never disliked you. Even on your bad days, when I called you to choose a better way, I never disliked you. I knew there was more to the story on those bad days. Each one of you is an incredible human being. We all have bad days and make impulsive decisions. Own your mistakes—especially on those days—recover, and learn to do better next time.

I can’t begin to describe how proud I am of all of you. You’ve come so far from the first day you stepped into my classroom. You did hard things, overcame challenges, and demonstrated your ability to apply new knowledge in a variety of settings. Be proud of yourself. Celebrate your growth. Use these new skills to navigate your world.

You taught me to be patient and understanding. You showed me the importance of getting to know my students and finding ways to reflect their interests and multifaceted identities in the learning experience. I hope you saw at least some part of yourself in the work we did together. You emphasized the importance of stepping back when the class is struggling and considering different ways to approach lessons to reach as many students as possible—and for those who are still struggling, you reminded me that, as much as is within my control, we never leave a classmate behind.

Next year, I will teach at a different school with an entirely different group of students. They’ll never realize that they have you to thank for the kind of teacher I will be for them. Each one of you has helped me to become better than I was on the first day of school. I have grown, and it’s your fault. Thank you for that. I will not forget the lessons you taught me, and I will miss you all greatly.

So go on! Do amazing things! Become people who are better than I will ever be! Be great! You can do it. You are all good kids. Every one of you. Yes, even you challenging student. You are good kids. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. I’m proud of you.

Let me end by saying this: you were my favorite class, and you were my favorite student.

With Respect,

With humility,

With grace,

Mr. Brewer

An Introduction

Who Am I?

Teaching ELA | (c) 2025

My name is Mr. Brewer. I am in the final phase of student teaching at ALMS. By the end of May, I will have earned my single-subject teaching credentials in English. I have a passion for education and for students, and becoming a teacher is a lifelong dream finally coming true after twenty years.

Twenty Years?!

Yes. The journey to becoming a teacher has taken twenty years to complete. I attended the College of the Sequoias in 2002. Growing up in a financially unstable environment, I had to drop out in 2003 when I could no longer bear the cost of continuing my education. I enlisted in the United States Navy in 2004 and retired in 2019 due to a medical injury.

I returned to college with my education benefits and earned three Associate of Arts degrees in English, Elementary Teacher Prep, and Liberal Arts in 2021 at College of the Sequoias. I earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Fresno Pacific University in 2023, where I am completing a Single Subject Teacher Credentialing program under the guidance of seasoned professionals.

Philosophy of Education

Education can equip students with the tools to critically and compassionately engage with and transform the world they are destined to inherit. As a teacher, I am a facilitator, facilitating student learning through personalized guidance and high expectations. Students should be active participants in the learning experience, investing in themselves and developing transferable skills that are relevant and applicable long after they leave my classroom.

Both curriculum and instruction should be relevant and challenging. They should lead toward inquiry and research rather than fast answers. This requires fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment that reflects the learning community and cultivates meaningful engagement and sophisticated thinking.

Teaching is a transformative act of love and a call to redemptive service. It is commitment and investment in students and communities. It is founded in high standards, responsive pedagogy, and the belief that all my students can succeed.

Purpose

This website was designed as a digital portfolio showcasing the things I learned during my Single Subject Methods: English (EDUC 696) course. In short, this is the signature assignment.

However, it doesn't end here. I purchased this domain, which will be mine for a long time. I will continue to use this site to reflect on my journey as an educator, document my growth, and share my experiences with others.