Marguerite Christian Elementary’s Teacher of the Year recipient is a CCPS alumna. Brooke Moseley attended Gordon Elementary, Midlothian Middle and Midlothian High. She said she has many fond memories of growing up in the system from field day to orchestra, soccer practice to Latin class, and many more in between.
“Many of my teachers made a meaningful impact on me throughout elementary, middle, and high school,” Moseley said. “Once I graduated from Radford University, I made it a priority to seek employment in Chesterfield County. I hope to make such an impact on my students throughout their time in elementary school.”
Moseley started her teaching career at Marguerite Christian, where she has just entered her seventh year of teaching. She spent some time student teaching at a middle school, but she has only taught elementary physical education, and she is happy working with that grade level.
Moseley pursued teaching because becoming a physical education teacher seemed to be the perfect way to combine sports and working with children, two things she loves. She fondly recalled her own elementary school physical education teacher who inspired her to become a teacher.
“In elementary school, I had an amazing P.E. teacher, Mrs. Cooper, who inspired me to become a teacher. I have so many fond memories of my time in her P.E. class, such as working with the parachute, various games, and Field Day,” Moseley said. “But more importantly, Mrs. Cooper encouraged us to try our best, to never give up and she was always kind even if I was being sent to timeout.”
Teaching has taught Moseley how to be flexible and to be a team player, which will aid her in tackling the upcoming virtual school year. Moseley said her plan is the same as it would be in person, and she hopes to instill the importance of nutrition and being physically active, and also to have fun with her classes.
So far, this arrangement has gone well, as Moseley’s students have been actively participating, and they were excited to see their teachers and peers. She said she hopes to keep them active by using and creating fun lessons they can do at home, and the county’s elementary school P.E. teachers have been sharing resources with each other to help students have fun while getting physically fit.
Moseley is passionate about fund raising opportunities for Marguerite Christian, specifically the R.O.A.R. Course, which is a one-mile obstacle course fun run at the school. The course has helped to fund the purchase of recess equipment, fruits and vegetables, and yoga balls and other flexible seating options for students. She is hoping to purchase new playground sets and provide additional nutritional opportunities for students in the coming years.
Moseley’s favorite part of teaching is her students, and she said she loves being able to see them grow into young men and women. The lockdown prevented her from letting her students know how she felt about them, but she is sending them off with a parting wish.
“My first group of students [I had taught since kindergarten] moved on to middle school at the end of the [last]school year, [and]I wasn’t able to tell them all in person, but I will miss you all,” Moseley said. “You all will do great things as long as you do what you know is right and you work hard. I hope the kids can look back on their time in P.E. in elementary school and can remember all the fun they had and that they were loved.”
