Teacher of the Year: Mrs. Bratcher
By Ian Busking
Art teacher Mrs. Bratcher was awarded East Campus Teacher of the Year. She has been teaching at Owasso for seven years now and really likes getting the opportunity to teach students and impact their lives using her artistic passion.
With the amount of amazing teachers Owasso has to offer, Bratcher winning this award is truly an honor. Winning Teacher of the Year shows that the countless hours spent with intelligent students, teachers and many others has not been taken for granted, so it is a huge deal to receive the award.
Mrs. Bratcher emphasizes, “Winning Teacher of the Year at the East campus means the world to me. I am honored and appreciate the recognition.”
Mrs. Bracher’s impact on her students makes her stand out from the rest. She connects individually with all of her students to help them with art and get to know what they are like outside of the class. With all of this being said, she has played such an important role in the students' lives.
Picture of Mrs. Bratcher with her son Ellis Bratcher
Mrs. Bratcher adds, “I feel like I can impact my students' lives each and every day by giving them the space and time to be creative, to use the other side of their brain for an hour. I love to get to know my students on a more personal level and because of what I teach, I am fortunate to be able to have those interactions each and every day.”
It is by no accident that Mrs. Bratcher ended up in a classroom and got the opportunity to teach high school students. The students are a significant reason for why she loves to teach.
Mrs. Bratcher admired, “The best part of teaching, without a doubt, is the relationships you get to make with the students. To see them grow and create something that they are proud of; to see them realize that they could have a creative career in the arts, is all so rewarding.”
Mrs. Bratcher recognizes the fact that she hasn’t accomplished everything alone and she remembers two crucial people who have guided her along her path.
“I am a teacher because of two important people in my life. Shelly Collins and my junior high art teacher, Mrs. Hunt. Mrs. Collins became my mentor in 2014 when I began helping out at the 6th grade center in her art room. She helped me understand what it is to be a great teacher and truly, a kind and generous person overall.” Mrs. Bratcher expressed, “Today, she is not only my mentor, but my best friend and I am so grateful for her positive influence on my life and my career.”
Since Mrs. Bratcher has started teaching, she has received numerous tips to help her become a better teacher. As displayed with the Teacher of the Year award, she is actively committed to becoming the best teacher that she can be.
Mrs. Bratcher explains, “My role as a teacher has evolved greatly in the seven years I have taught in Owasso. Every year I have had the privilege of writing a new curriculum and teaching a new course. I have been fortunate to work with fantastic teachers throughout the years on both campuses and have learned a lot from each of them. I have also been able to take advantage of amazing professional development that has helped me become a better teacher each year.”
Mrs. Bratcher has received an enormous amount of knowledge from some amazing teachers and mentors. They helped her achieve the highest award for a teacher at the school this year and there is no question of why she earned it. Her selfless actions, positive attitude and mentorship to the students earned her the marvelous honor of being Teacher of the Year.