Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a teacher? The question has definitely crossed my mind in the past. Although teaching is probably not in my future, I have huge respect for the profession, and sometimes I wish I could be a fly on the wall in a classroom for a day or two to watch how a teacher works. Recently, I had the chance to chat with a Union student who’s just done exactly that: Ellie Brogdon, a 19-year-old first-year EDGE student. Brogdon is fresh off a semester of teaching observations in a local elementary school, and I went into our conversation excited to hear more about how it went for her.
For her first semester, Brogdon signed up for Intro to Elementary Education, a class that many EDGE students have audited in the past. As the class got underway, Professor Mandy Cates noticed Brogdon’s strong initiative, positive attitude and hardworking spirit, and approached Brogdon and Becca Holloway, director for the EDGE program, with an idea. Cates thought that Brogdon would thrive not just auditing the class, but also doing observation hours at Pope Elementary School—something that no EDGE student had ever done prior to Brogdon.
Because an EDGE student had never done observations in the past, Brogdon had previously assumed this wouldn’t be a part of her class experience, so when she learned that it was a real possibility, she was thrilled.
“I had been feeling kind of sad that I wasn’t going to be able to do [observation hours]… I’ve always wanted to work with kids,” Brogdon said. “Knowing that Ms. Cates believed that I could do this was a cool feeling. It was a really enlightening moment, to feel understood and like it wasn’t impossible, this dream that I’ve always had. I remember calling my mom and saying, ‘Guess what!’ because my mom’s a teacher too. The whole day, I was like, ‘Yay!’”
Working with kids is a longtime dream of Brogdon’s, making the Pope observations a perfect fit for her. In high school, she worked as a gymnastics coach and volunteered in children’s programs at her church, experiences that revealed a deep love for children and their joyful spirits.
“I’ve always had a heart for kids,” Brogdon said. “They’re just incredible human beings! Kids are so innocent and pure and childlike … God says to be childlike, and you can see that in them by seeing how forgiving they are when somebody messes up, or how silly they can be when they make mistakes.”
With a big smile on her face, Brogdon went on to tell me a few funny stories about the kindergarteners in the class she observed: the sweetness that they greeted her with every morning as they came into class, the joy they exhibited on the playground during recess and the silly ways they interacted with each other. It was obvious from her laughter throughout these stories and the bright light dancing in her eyes that she truly loves working with children.
Brogdon finished her observations feeling grateful for a truly delightful experience that gave her insight into what might be possible for her in the future. But despite all the fun and joy she experienced, Brogdon’s time at Pope wasn’t without its challenges. Because she won’t graduate from the EDGE program with an undergraduate degree, taking the traditional path to becoming a teacher may not be a possibility for her. But Brogdon hasn’t allowed the disappointment of that realization to shake her faith in God’s good plans for her.
“I don’t know if I can necessarily be a teacher, because I won’t have a full degree. That can be hard sometimes,” Brogdon said. “The comparison game is hard, comparing yourself with people who are getting full degrees, and thinking that maybe I’ll never be a teacher. I had a rough time with that last semester. But I have to remind myself that God has a perfect plan for me, and it might not be exactly how I wanted it, but He will work it out in His own way.”
Brogdon and I talked more about the challenges that come with having a disability, particularly in others’ perceptions (and misconceptions) of you. She expressed that while she’s grateful for all the people at Union who make an effort to get to know EDGE students, she wishes that even more people on campus took the time to do so rather than making assumptions or jumping to conclusions.
“I like to call my disability ‘the hidden one,’ because it’s not very obvious,” Brogdon said. “A lot of people don’t understand that there are so many different disabilities that aren’t always obvious, and you may not see it until you get to know me more. One thing that it took me a minute to get used to [at Union] is that it would shock people sometimes when they found out that I’m in the EDGE program. But there are so many people who encourage me and are walking me through this chapter of life.”
Despite the changes and growing pains that come with starting college, Brogdon has found her niche at Union and is thriving in the EDGE program. She’s dived headfirst into the tight-knit community that Union is known for, taken on new challenges as she’s adjusted to college life, and flourished in her academic pursuits. Union and the EDGE program have offered Brogdon a new environment in which to understand her disability, as well as the opportunity to encourage others and be encouraged as she lives out her unique, God-given purpose.
“I like to remind myself that if everyone was the same, life would be so boring,” Brogdon said with a laugh. “The people who truly want to get to know you will. Even when I go into the negative thoughts of ‘I’m so different,’ I remember that Ms. Holloway never wants people to feel different; she wants them to feel like they have a unique purpose. It’s hard sometimes to remember that, but being told that over and over helps a lot.”
Brogdon may not be sure what lies beyond the EDGE program for her, but spending a mere 45 minutes with her left me confident that whatever she goes on to do, she will pursue her work with passion, inspire the people around her and change people’s hearts with the love of Christ. As we wrapped up our conversation, I told Brogdon that talking to her was the most fun and encouraging end to a long week that I could imagine. I’m far from being the only person who’s noticed Brogdon’s contagious joy; her teachers and leaders, such as Holloway and Cates, as well as her peers, have all been inspired by Brogdon’s grace, enthusiasm and leadership.
Holloway said this of Brogdon: “She is such a leader. She has such a positive attitude, and she’s an advocate not just for herself, but also for other students in the EDGE program. She’s really modeled coming to a degree of acceptance of her specific situation, and acceptance that God created her just this way for a plan and a purpose. I think that other students see her confidence, and it helps them feel more comfortable and confident in who they are.”
