WTOC Top Teacher: Mara Brannen

TATNALL COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - For Mara Brannen, teaching in her hometown is about more than helping students learn. It’s about helping them see their own potential.

Brannen, a Tattnall County native and first grade teacher at South Tattnall Elementary School, is this week’s WTOC Top Teacher.

Brannen has spent 16 years in the classroom and says one of the most rewarding parts of teaching is watching her students gain confidence in themselves.

“I think they have so many possibilities, and that they are so smart, and all they need is a little bit of confidence in themselves to be able to do anything, to open their whole world up,” Brannen said.

Brannen said the relationships she builds with her students are at the heart of her work.

“I see the love in their eyes toward me, and I have the same love toward them,” she said.

While teaching can be challenging, Brannen said her students make the work worthwhile.

“Teaching is hard, but it’s worth it. The kids are worth it,” she said. “You can look at their faces, and if you can’t tell a kid they are worth it, you’re not here for the right reasons. Every kid is worth it.”

Brannen believes building strong relationships with students can help them succeed both inside and outside the classroom.

She sees her role as helping prepare her students for their futures and the roles they will eventually play in their communities.

“Your purpose is to build the next citizens of tomorrow, and you need to take that job seriously,” Brannen said. “As long as you’re in it for the right reasons, they are going to know you love them. You put the love and passion into it, everything else will work out.”

Brannen said she is grateful for the opportunity to teach students in the same community where she grew up.