EPISODE 26: A conversation with Middle School Principal, Becca Bramwell

We are excited to add another perspective and voice to episode 26 with Becca Bramwell, current Principal of Prairie Grove Middle School in Prairie Grove, Arkansas. Becca and Jordan met in 2017 during new staff orientation at East Peoria Community High School and have been friends ever since. Becca shares her journey through education from a high school math teacher, to technology integration specialist, into middle school math teacher, then instructional facilitator, and now, middle school math principal! We talk about the mental load that educators carry and how much is on a teacher’s plate. Becca shares about moving to teach in Joplin, Missouri, soon after the deadly tornados; the district was gifted funds from the United Arab Emirates to provide every student with laptops. From there, we dive into the stressful world of planning kid birthday parties. While talking about our reading choices, Becca grabs the most ridiculous looking (but clearly practical) laying down reading glasses. We talk about school cellphone policies and how Arkansas has a state, bell-to-bell cellphone law, which Becca loves—she details how well it’s working in her building. We talk about building community and how it’s difficult for both youth and adults!