Brittany Lower, 4th Grade Teacher, River Valley Elementary School
Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, 2019
Attending college is about finding your path, your inspiration, and once you find that path arming yourself with the skill and know how to launch a lifelong career. Ohio State Marion education graduate Brittany Lower found that and more at Ohio State Marion. She is now imparting knowledge to a new group of fourth graders in the local community every year.
Brittany Lower attended Ohio State Marion from 2015-2019, earning a Bachelor of Science in Middle Childhood Education and currently serves as a 4th grade teacher at River Valley Local School District in Marion County, Ohio. Since graduating, Lower shared that she has put the skills she learned during her student teaching and in the classroom to the test.
“My education degree from Ohio State has played a huge role in advancing my career,” said Lower. “I learned so many things throughout my college career that have helped me as a teacher today. Last year I was able to go back to Ohio State Marion to get my reading endorsement. This endorsement has also helped advance my career.”
“The education courses really helped me gain knowledge about teaching and the field placements helped me become more confident in my teaching skills,” said Lower.
“In my student teaching course, she said, “I was able to put together a portfolio that I used during my interviews.
“By the time I graduated, said Lower, “I had tons of teaching interviews. During these interviews I was able to pull out my portfolio binder and show principals what I learned in school at Ohio State Marion.”
“I accepted the fourth-grade position that I am still working today,” she said.
Lower recently finished her second year-teaching fourth grade, where teaches her students all subjects (math, language arts, science, social studies)
Lower explained that she teaches fourth graders math, science, social studies, and language arts and has found a bit of everything she learned in college contributing to the diverse subjects she teaches.
“With knowledge from the diversity course taught by Linda Parsons, I am also able to teach my students social skills, such as being inclusive, respecting others and being king to all,” said Lower.
“I use communication skills to communicate with my students’ parents/ guardians,” said Lower. “I use collaboration skills to meet with my team teachers, teachers in other grades, specials teachers and my principal.
“Courses at Ohio State Marion helped me gain these skills and I have been able to build these skills throughout my teaching career,” she added.
Lower shared that her degree in education from Ohio State has also made her marketable.
“I think this because the professors at Ohio State Marion have helped so many people become teachers through teaching them skills to succeed in the education career."
The education faculty also played a huge role in her decision to stay at the Marion campus.
“They encouraged me to do my best,” said Lower. “I could tell that they really cared about how I did with my learning and now in my career.”
“The education faculty helped me learn how to treat students in a way that makes them feel welcome and respected because they did that for all of their students, like me,” she said.
Lower said, “I was lucky enough to have professors like Patty Muir, Marcus Herzberg, Peggy Harkins, Andrea Barton, Linda Parsons, and Stacia Smith who showed me how to become the teacher and person I am today.”