Teacher of the Week becomes educator after her own challenges in school

Emily Scarlett anchoring/reporting
ROCKFORD, Mich. - Another very unsuspecting educator was pretty caught off guard when 13 ON YOUR SIDE showed up to Valley View Elementary School in Rockford for our latest Teacher of the Week surprise. She told us it doesn’t take much to make teachers feel appreciated.
Her name is Sabrina Brooks and after the surprise, she said, “I’m going to cry. That’s really kind and really sweet.”
Valley View Elementary School principal Jeremy Karel said, “I absolutely just love when teachers get recognized,” and that, “The cool thing for me to see is just the student reaction to Mrs. Brooks. Her kids absolutely love and adore her.”
Brooks teaches third grade. That’s right around the age she decided to become a teacher.
“I have always wanted to be a teacher,” said Brooks. “I had a really hard time in school, actually, and so I used to see a reading specialist in third grade and my third grade teacher, Mrs. Patterson, was the first teacher I had that thought I could be a reader and then by the end of third grade I loved to read.”
“She goes out of her way to make the classroom a theater,” said Karel.
Brooks laughed as she said, “I’m pretty loud and I think most of the staff and students would say - I’ve been compared to the Energizer Bunny. I just try to bring a lot of fun energy into class with me every day and just really encourage them that they can do anything they put their mind to like my teachers did for me.”
“Just the amount of energy that she puts into her class,” said Karel. He said even our cameras captured this before adding, “Her kids are excited each and every day to walk through her classroom door and spend the day with her and learn with her and grow with her and that doesn’t come without putting just a ton of her heart into what she does.”
She said that’s because the job is very personal and emotional to her.
“My students are like my children. I call them my chickens or my nuggets or whatever other silly nickname we can come up with,” said Brooks, getting emotional. “I really care about them. I go to their sporting events on the weekends, and I just really love them. So, it’s just very personal to me.”
She said the job isn’t perfect.
“It is a challenging job for sure but it’s definitely the most rewarding job and I wouldn’t want to do anything else,” said Brooks. “It’s constantly a surprise and you are never bored, and you always get your steps in for the day.”
This educator said it doesn’t take much to show teachers how much you care.
“Just a small note of appreciation, a thank you in the car line - those little pieces of appreciation just mean the world to all staff at schools,” said Karel.
Brooks said, “Families sometimes think they have to buy us a gift but personally I love a handwritten note. I love Starbucks gift cards but just a little note goes a really long way just to know that you’re appreciated.”
If you have someone you’d like to nominate as our next Teacher of the Week, just text the word “teacher” to 616-559-1310.
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