Briegel Payne '12

I graduated from Washington and Lee in 2012 and began teaching that year. I teach first grade at Sacred Heart Model School in Louisville, KY. The W&L Teacher Education program prepared me to be a creative, organized, and adaptive teacher.

During my time at W&L I learned how to work cooperatively in a team to create and execute lesson plans. I learned how to successfully plan and differentiate my lessons to reach the needs of all of my students. The assignments and projects we completed in the Teacher Education program were practical and helpful. Many of the organization tools and resources I used during my time at W&L can be seen in my First Grade Classroom today! W&L encouraged me to try new ideas in my lessons and to creatively present my lessons. Most importantly, the teacher education program gave me experience in many different environments.

While I was at W&L, I had field work in K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th, and completed my student teaching in 2nd grade. I was also given the opportunity to design and lead an afterschool enrichment program for 4th and 5th graders. Before graduating, I had logged hundreds of classroom hours, which gave me the confidence I needed for my first years of teaching.