Michele Taylor–Brown, Richland School District Two Teacher of the Year, dances with three of her students: (l–r) Loranna Austin, Michaela Catoe, and Lauren McDowell.

Michele Taylor–Brown has unlocked a formula influencing hundreds of children during her 15 years as an elementary teacher. Her motto is “Touch the heart, and teach the child.” Taylor–Brown has been named 2005–06 teacher of the year at Rice Creek Elementary and teacher of the year for Richland School District Two.

“My expectations for every student are lofty but attainable,” Taylor–Brown said. “My students understand I have high expectations for them. By using praise, respect, and success, I am able to consistently motivate my students to do their best. Consistency provides my students with security and the routines help create trust,” she explained.

Taylor–Brown also sets clear guidelines to help prevent students from getting into trouble. “In order to maintain a disciplined environment, my students are taught the importance of safety, care of property, good habits, rules of conduct, consideration, and respect for others.”

Finally, Taylor–Brown establishes a community of learners who work collaboratively, listen to one another, and respect one another.

Rice Creek Elementary principal Linda Hall said, “Taylor–Brown’s classroom is alive with excitement and learning. It is a place where learning is truly experienced through sight, sound, touch, and movement.”

Taylor–Brown has a natural connection with her young students. She said, “In the morning, my kids have a choice. They can give me a high five, a hug, or a handshake. Sometimes they have a hard time choosing only one!”

“My first teaching position was first grade at a small school with approximately 270 students located in a low–socio–economic area of town,” she recalled. “The job was challenging due to the lack of experiences of the students. I learned quickly the traditional methods of teaching were not going to help my students be successful. I had to create lessons that integrated the limited experiences they had with the standards I was required to teach.”

“For example while taking the Basic Skills Assessment Program standardized test, I heard one of my students humming the antonym song I taught them to help her find the correct answer. I was thinking, ‘Yes!’”

Lyon Street Elementary principal Erica Fields remembers Taylor–Brown’s creative teaching style when she was teaching first and third grade from 1996 to 1999 at Lyon Street Elementary. “She demonstrates that every child can reach their maximum potential with the right support and guidance. She is always eager to learn new approaches to teaching.”

Taylor–Brown encourages teachers in training to try working at schools that don’t have a high level of parental involvement to better understand the critical role teachers play in a child’s formative years.

Taylor–Brown said students need to learn it’s all right to make mistakes, too. “Once we were gluing jellybeans on the letter J, but the jellybeans were too heavy. They just rolled off the letter. I started laughing. One of the students commented, ‘What was Mrs. Brown thinking?’ And I agreed. The students said, “Mrs. Brown, let’s throw it away.”

Children today are often overwhelmed by a world filled with television, computers, CD players, and video games. “It’s hard to keep kids away from TV and video games, but they need a good balance. Let them swing on the playground, go to the library, play with legos, or play board games,” Taylor–Brown said.

Balance has played an important role in her personal life as well. Taylor–Brown was confronted with breast cancer while teaching at Rice Creek Elementary.

“My first year at Rice Creek proved to be personally challenging due to being diagnosed with breast cancer,” she said. “My principal Linda Hall allowed me to conduct parent conferences over the telephone, my classroom parents packed my classroom, and my kindergarten team made sure that my students’ year ended smoothly.”

Taylor–Brown has channeled her energies into positive actions and become a role model for all of us,” Hall said.

“Michele has spearheaded Rice Creek’s Walk for Life team for the past four years, raising thousands of dollars for the Palmetto Health Foundation,” Hall explained. “She brought together teachers, support staff members, substitutes, and parents for a common cause that reminds us all of other responsibilities in a learning community.”

Taylor–Brown pursues life with the same energy and charisma that is so prevalent in her classroom. Her achievements and community involvement include: 2005-06 Richland School District Two Teacher of the Year, 2005-06 Rice Creek Elementary Teacher of the Year, 2003 National Board Certified Teacher, 2002 Prevention Partners Outstanding Committee Member Award, 1994–95 Lyon School Elementary Teacher of the Year, Founder of Rice Creek Elementary Navigating our World Team, co–sponsor of Bring a Bike Day Trike–a–Thon, track committee, Young Women’s Auxiliary at Zion Baptist Church, and vacation Bible school teacher at New Light Beulah Baptist Church.

“I was a toddler when my mother first started teaching kindergarten. When I was little, I used to help her color and decorate her classroom,” said Taylor–Brown.

It never entered Taylor–Brown’s mind in all the years spent alongside her mother she would one day follow in her footsteps. Upon graduating from Richland Northeast High School, she was asked repeatedly by family and friends, “Are you going to be a teacher like your Mom?”

“I would always make the most horrific face I could and reply very convincingly, ‘No!’”

It was her second year as a psychology major at USC when Taylor–Brown became aware she was meant to be a teacher. Her best friend pointed out how often she volunteered in her mother’s classroom, then said, “Face it Michele, you already act like a teacher.”

Taylor–Brown received her bachelor of arts in interdisciplinary studies and master of education from USC. She has been teaching school for 15 years. The last seven of those years have been at Rice Creek Elementary. She is married to Derrick Brown, and they have a son Zachary Brown. Now with a toddler of her own and teaching kindergarten like her mother, life has come full circle for Taylor–Brown.

Rice Creek Elementary is located at 4751 Hardscrabble Road in Northeast Columbia.