Each week, the #SpanningtheNeed podcast will present an “Inspirational Person of the Week’ and have a “Q & A” with one of its many gifted individuals and/or groups who are willing to go out of their own way to help others. This week’s featured as apart of our Teacher Appreciation Week is Elana Brownfield from Lisbon Exempted Village Schools (Lisbon Schools). Nominate someone now.
Name: Elana Brownfield
Position: Visual Art Teacher: David Anderson Jr./Sr. High School (grades 6-12)
District: Lisbon Exempted Village Schools
What made you want to go into education?
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What is the biggest factor that has helped you be successful in education?
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What song best describes you?
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What is the biggest professional mistake you made along the way? Early in my career I spent too much time planning lessons or grading things that didn’t contribute enough to the big picture of what I was trying to teach. Teachers can spend a lot of time planning, grading, decorating, etc. Some of these things really matter, and some of them, in the grand scheme of things, don’t make much difference at all. Over the years I have learned to use different, less time-consuming, more efficient approaches to get the same or even better results.
What is the best advice you can give future educators? The best advice I can give is to stick with it! Your first year will most likely be your hardest. For me, the longer I have been teaching the easier and more enjoyable it has become.
https://spanningtheneed.com/event/a-heart-of-a-teacher-w-scott-dimauro-president-of-ohio-education-association-during-teacher-appreciation-week-new-podcast/
If you could start all over again, what would you do differently regarding your profession? If I could start over again I would focus more time on getting to know the kids and building relationships. Particularly in my early years I was hyper focused on the content I was teaching. I have learned that the content is still important, but I am now much more focused on trying to incorporate more activities that help build relationships with the kids.
What is your best accomplishment or experience in life?
The best accomplishment of my life so far is founding a Christian art non-profit website and ministry called Redeemer’s Heart (www.redeemersheart.com). God started to lay this on my heart back in 2014 and it was finally launched this past February, 2022. The mission of Redeemer’s Heart is to share the love of Jesus through visual art. There are four main parts of the website: 1. An art store where artists can share images of their artwork and 100% of profits from sales of products are given to charities, 2. A weekly column called Art & Soul where different Christain artists get to share their stories and testimonies behind their artworks, 3. A free directory of Christian artists who are trying to sell their artwork, and 4. A private community forum.
Who is your role model and why?
I truly can’t pick one person. There have been so many family members and friends over the years that have positively impacted and contributed to who I am today.
If there is one person you would like to meet, past or present, who would it be and why?
Jesus most definitely! I recently wrote a column on Art & Soul called In Awe of His Creation so I would like to ask Him what it was like during the creation of the universe. Of course there are many other questions that I would love to ask Him as well.
A favorite quote you live by?
I live by the quote from the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 where he says, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.” (NIV)
