Today we’d like to introduce you to Brooke Carnline.
I am an Army Veteran turned elementary school teacher and have been teaching for six years. In fact, the very classroom that I completed my student teaching in is the classroom that I moved into when I was hired. Over the years, I have managed to create a classroom environment that is an extension of my student’s homes. This is where they will spend a majority of their time, so it is very important to me that they come to a place where they feel comfortable, welcome, and safe. I use group tables, flexible seating, and low lighting to create a calming atmosphere. One of the most important things I can do as teaching is to build relationships with my students. I get to know my students by eating with them at lunch, playing football at recess, and joking and playing with them during downtime. I work very hard to set a structured classroom so that students know what to expect every day. My teaching style would be a combination of part comedian, and part solider. I set high expectations with a lot of structure, but with lots of love and fun to make learning interesting and relevant.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Teaching has not always been easy, and I would definitely look at it as a craft. Just a welder gets better over time, teaching is the same way. My first year of teaching, I had the older sibling of a student that I taught this year. I told his mom at the beginning of the year that even though that my first year of teaching I was, “okay” but not to worry because I am WAAAAAAAAAAY better now. We joked and laughed at how she thought her first child had shown so much growth. I told her well wait until this one is done. You will quickly see I was a newbie when I have your oldest daughter. Some days I can create a lesson that I think will be a complete and total hit where the students will learn so much, and it will end up being a complete and total FLOP. Other days, simple lessons make a big impact. There is definitely a huge learning curve to teaching. Each year is a learning process because depending on who walks in the door of your classroom, everything you thought you knew about teaching won’t work with certain students. It’s a constant balancing act of monitoring and adjusting to the individual needs of your students.
Please tell us about Teach Over the Rainbow.
I am definitely most known for my classroom decorating, organization, and creating fun lessons. I don’t use my overhead fluorescent lights. I use low lighting lamps and natural light. The students seem to love this, and it seems to keep them more calm and focused. I use brightly colored classroom decor and organize my classroom so that students know where everything is and where to put it away.
This year I did a complete classroom makeover for a company called Carson-Dellosa. I chose a deserving teacher in my school and completely made over her classroom. It was a complete and total transformation. She and her students were in complete shock when the reveal took place. The smiles on their faces made the 4- 16 hour days over a long weekend completely worth it.
I am a Teachers Pay Teachers author and create digital products and resources that teachers can purchase in my online store to use in their own classrooms. I use a combination of eye-catching colors, images, and materials. I often blend a technology aspect into the resources to keep students fully engaged and excited about new learning.
I also have an online Shopify store where I make hand-made polymer teacher lanyards. This business has really boomed for me. This keeps my spare time fully loaded. But this part of my life allows me to be very creative and forces me to be still and relax while I create and make the lanyards. This busy part of my life is very enjoyable.
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
Nothing is perfect, nothing will always be easy. There will be disasters, there will be failures, there will be people who try and take your joy from you. But no matter what if something brings you joy and you are passionate about, don’t ever give up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Teach-Over-The-Rainbow
- Phone: 9367762694
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachovertherainbow/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachOvertheRainbow/
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/teachOTR
- Other: https://teach-over-the-rainbow-lanyards.myshopify.com/
Image Credit:
Brooke Carnline
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
