Calling to Teach Mission to Serve
How do you know when you’re exactly where God wants you to be – using your gifts, following His calling, and making an impact that reaches beyond yourself ?
For Brinkley Hearn, a University of Mobile 2024 graduate with a Bachelor of Science in elementary education, confirmation didn’t come in a single moment, but in the quiet, daily victories of her first year as a fourth-grade teacher at Saraland Elementary School.
Just a year ago, Brinkley stood on the graduation stage in front of Weaver Hall and accepted the university’s highest honor for a graduating female senior, the Annie Boyd Parker Weaver Award. Today, she is seeing the impact of her University of Mobile education come to life in her own classroom – an education that prepared her not just to teach, but to lead with faith and purpose.
“I feel an undeniable sense that I am exactly where I am meant to be. Every day, I have seen my students not only grow academically but also personally, and it feels like I am a part of something bigger than myself. The challenges and triumphs have become moments where I can feel God’s presence guiding me, strengthening me, and using me to make a difference in their lives. It is more than just a job – it is a mission – and I know I am fulfilling my calling.”
– Brinkley Hearn ’24
Nationally Recognized for Excellence
The University of Mobile School of Education is nationally recognized for preparing teachers like Brinkley. Inspirational professors, 100% pass rates on teacher exams and collaborative partnerships throughout the community are just a few reasons UM is recognized for national excellence by the prestigious Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
The school maintains a 100% pass rate on the Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) for graduates, and 100% of Early Childhood and Elementary majors exceed the minimum passing score on their first attempt. A job placement rate of 100% means most education students have a teaching position lined up before they graduate.
Key to UM’s success is a team of experienced faculty who know first-hand what it takes to do the work – manage a classroom, nurture students with a variety of needs and abilities, hold parent-teacher conferences, develop lesson plans that work.
“The amazing faculty in the School of Education works as a cohesive team to ensure that our students are prepared for a career in teaching. The collaborative partnerships we have established with local schools, educational organizations and the community is vital to the success of our students,” says Dr. Ashley Milner, dean of the School of Education.
Collaborative Connections
UM faculty collaborate with public and private school systems across lower Alabama to provide students with extensive experience throughout the community. Starting in the sophomore year, students have over 200 hours in the field at various schools, grade levels and school systems.
One example is last fall’s “Beginning of School Experience” partnership with nearby Saraland Elementary. Because UM’s fall semester starts after K-12 schools have already been in session a few weeks, pre-service student teachers don’t have the opportunity to experience those hectic early days of a new school year. The Beginning of School Experience let UM students volunteer to work side-by-side with veteran teachers – before college classes even started.
“We’ve had classes already about classroom management, and so we’ve done plans like first day of school scripts and how to set up a classroom and things like that. But it’s really neat to be in a classroom and see how that works hands-on,” says senior Bethany Kilgore.
UM alumna Allison Nelson ’06 was one of those veteran teachers showing the ropes to UM student teachers.
“These student teachers having the opportunity to see all of what happens is one more aspect that sets apart the education department at UM compared to other universities. It is one more step UM is taking to help these future educators WIN in the world of teaching,” says Allison.
Innovative Partnerships
The mission of UM’s School of Education extends into the future, embracing new technologies and skills. In partnership with Pine Grove Elementary in Bay Minette, Alabama, UM students are engaging in a robotics learning initiative led by Dr. Jessica Freeland, instructional design and technology graduate program coordinator. Freeland is passionate about empowering classroom teachers with the knowledge and skills to provide the computer science and digital literacy instruction required for elementary schools by the Alabama State Department of Education.
A grant from the North Baldwin Community Foundation – an affiliate of The Community Foundation of South Alabama – provided Pine Grove Elementary and UM with robots designed to introduce early coding and problem-solving skills to elementary students in engaging, age-appropriate ways.
“Too often, teachers shy away from technology like robotics because they find terms like ‘coding’ intimidating. Through this project, I want to demystify those concepts and show how robots can be seamlessly integrated into everyday lessons. By empowering educators, we’re ensuring that students will be exposed to critical 21st-century skills in a fun and engaging way,” says Freeland.
She envisions her TE 405 students at UM partnering with Pine Grove teachers to co-teach robotics lessons, further reinforcing the collaboration between the two institutions and enhancing the educational experience for all students.
‘Passionate About Teaching’
As she prepares to graduate in a few weeks, senior Bethany Kilgore says she is fully prepared to pursue her calling to teach, her mission to serve.
“I have always been passionate about teaching students, whether that be in a Sunday School class or teaching swim lessons during the summer. Teaching students something new and then seeing them understand it is one of the best and most rewarding feelings in the world. I believe it is so important for students to have teachers who are passionate about teaching them in developmentally appropriate ways, and I am learning how to do that to the best of my ability at the University of Mobile,” Bethany says.
Kathy Dean uses her passion for storytelling and “playing with words” to share the stories of people, place and purpose that make the University of Mobile unique. As associate vice president for university communications, she manages media relations, edits the TorchLight alumni magazine, and oversees university communications. A former award-winning journalist, she is a two-time recipient of the Baptist Communicators Association grand prize for feature writing. Kathy and her husband, Chuck, live with three extremely loud miniature schnauzers.
