“Teaching is a not a ‘job’, it’s something you never leave ‘at work’. Teaching is 24/7. It’s intertwined within your life. It’s relationships and bonds you make for a lifetime. It’s family.”
So profoundly put, April Brothers shares her passion for what teaching means besides loving her students and changing lives.
With nearly two decades of teaching experience, this year marks her 19th year at Prattville Primary School. To have such tremendous longevity with an institution not only speaks volumes of her commitment and dedication to her profession, but it displays that she’s a vital asset amongst faculty at the school.
Many years ago, April interned at Prattville Primary and loved the school. She was excited that she’d applied to work in Autauga County after graduating from college. April graduated from Auburn University at Montgomery with an undergraduate (dual major) in Early Childhood Education. And she received a master’s degree from Auburn University as a Reading Specialist.
Why does someone decide to become a teacher with the challenges often involved? We asked Mrs. Brothers to share one thing about teaching that she wished more people understood.
“A lot of people don’t understand why anyone would go into teaching with the poor pay and mandates of today; however, when God calls you into something, you do it. It’s more of a mission field to me than a job.”
She’s been fortunate to continue raising the bar higher for herself and setting goals throughout her career. Each year she sets goals for her students to meet the benchmark in regards to reading and math. In addition, she strives to be trustworthy and supportive to her co-workers each day.
It’s also important to April to have good relationships with parents and guardians of her students so they can form a partnership in their child’s learning.
After she retires from teaching, she’d like to open a small business (which consists of crafts and painting) that she operates through her home called Opie Pallets.
April Brothers have been married to her husband, Allen Brothers, for 19 years. They live in Pine Level and they have two children: Isabella (17) and Jackson (12).
