Merrill Brunson
6th Grade Teacher
Hometown: Richland Center
High school graduated from: Richland Center
College: Merrill graduated from UW-Platteville with a Bachelors in Elementary/Middle School Education with a minor in Social Studies.
Previous employment: Prior to coming to Mineral Point, Merrill has spent his entire teaching career (21 years) at Platteville Middle School in 8th Grade History
Family: Erika (wife), children Calum (12), Lennie (11), Ruby (9), and Elyn (7)
Hobbies/free time interests: In my free time, I most enjoy spending time with my family. Our hobbies are fishing, hunting, spending time outdoors, and coaching them in athletics, to name a few.
What attracted you to apply in #PointerNation?: Professionally, I wanted to work in Mineral Point because of the high standards that are set for all students. I know that Mineral Point is a leader in education and I wanted a chance to be a part of the success. Personally, I was excited about an opportunity to teach my own children.
Quotable: “My educational philosophy is to have a classroom that is high in support and high in control. This is primarily evidenced by my belief in doing things ‘with’ kids, rather than ‘to’ or ‘for’ them. I believe in every kid having an opportunity to learn and every day being a new day. I believe building relationships with students is as important as the curriculum I teach. In my opinion, young people deserve your respect if you are going to expect it in return, and I believe in teaching this skill to them.
As a teacher, my goal is that students enjoy learning and coming to my classroom. I want them to ask, ‘What are we doing today?’ when they walk into my room. I want them to be curious, ask questions, and have meaningful discussions. I want them to know that I care about them and that my room is a safe space to express themselves. I want their confidence to grow and I strive to inspire and empower students to reach their full potential. I am enthusiastic about contributing to a collaborative team of educators and making a positive impact on the lives of my students.
More than anything, my educational philosophy is simple – kids need to know that you care.”