by Jen Myers

(Each month, UniCare, InsideLowell and Lowell Public Schools will honor a Lowell teacher for their exemplary work in the classroom and for going the extra mile to serve as a positive influence in the lives of their students)

It is a typical Tuesday morning in Brittany Moegelin’s first-grade classroom at the Shaughnessy Elementary School. They have discussed what day of the week it is, the weather, watched Principal McCrevan’s daily morning announcement video, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and discussed what types of math and reading work they would be working on today. Oh – and it is gym day so many of them are very excited.

A phonics exercise of sounding out words including “moth,” leads to a heck of a tangential conversation in which several of the students share which other outdoor creatures they have seen – bats, giant moths, skunks, and more.

Mrs. Moegelin patiently lets each student share their experience and gently nudges them back on track, learning about word sounds and digraphs (two letters that when combined make one sound like TH).

The students tell Mrs. Moegelin that they like her dress and that it must be a special day because they know pink is her favorite color.

They are right. Today, Mrs. Moegelin is being celebrated as the Lowell Public Schools’ Teacher of the Month and a UniCare Classroom Quarterback! Nominated by her principal, Dr. Jason McCrevan, she is humbled by the honor and a little nervous about the attention, but happy to show off her beautifully decorated classroom and wonderful students.

“She is a great teacher, collaborator, and member of the Shaughnessy community,” said McCrevan. “She has a calm demeanor, integrates students with disabilities into her class, is great with technology, and works hard with her craft. She has implemented a new writing program with her teammates with success. Her classroom is very well decorated and has great resources for students.”

Brittany (Murphy) Moegelin is a Lowell girl. She went to the McAvinnue Elementary School, Wang Middle School, and graduated from Lowell High School in 2009.

Her path to the classroom was not a direct route.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island and a Master’s degree in Emergency Management from Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Moegelin was working for an environmental company as a lab assistant, but felt she just hadn’t quite found the right career fit. Her sister, Courtney, knew she loved working with kids and encouraged her to go back to school for Education. Sometimes you just need a little push to pivot.

She earned a Master’s in Education from Merrimack College and “fell in love with teaching.” Coming back to the district where she was once a student, Moegelin began her education career journey as a tutor and long-term substitute teacher at the Murkland Elementary School. In 2021, she landed a spot teaching first-grade at the Shaughnessy.

“Some kids come into first grade only knowing only a few letters and sounds and leave first grade reading chapter books,” she said, explaining watching her students grow is her favorite part of the job. “It’s so rewarding to see!”

She does concede that first-grade can be a challenge.

“The curriculum is a lot for some kids,” she said. “They often get discouraged when things don’t come easy to them.”

But, she sticks with them and helps them work through the difficulties. And she makes a point to let everyone in the classroom know they are welcomed and an important part of the team.

“I tell students we are a family and families work together,” Moegelin said. “We spend a lot of time talking about how we treat other classmates, teachers, and ourselves in the classroom. Students learn to celebrate different ways of learning and doing things in a different way than their own.”

While one student may answer a question quickly, another may use an iPad to communicate or may take a little extra time and coaching to get to the right answer. Some may need visual cues; others respond better to hearing instructions or seeing an example task completed. Every learning method is welcomed and all students respect each other’s abilities and differences. They are all working toward the same goal. All rowing in the same direction.

As she did in her career, when she feels something isn’t working as well as it could, Moegelin is not afraid to pivot.

“My team and I talked about how our students struggled with the writing and how we wanted to find some supplemental materials to help fill in the gaps,” she said of the new writing system they implemented. “We found a system that has worked well for all of our students. It covers all of the writing that is required for first grade, but is implemented at an appropriate pace for our students.”

Moegelin has clear hopes for her students by the time they complete her class and she sends them off to second-grade.

“Academically, I want them to have confidence in reading, writing, and math,” she said. “Socially, I want my students to hype up their classmates, be proud of their accomplishments, and strive for better and better each day.”

All About Mrs. Moegelin:

Hobbies: Dancing, Shopping, and Crafting
Dream Vacation: French Polynesia
Favorite song to sing in the car: “It Makes Me ill” by NSYNC
Favorite meal: My mom’s fried chicken and macaroni and cheese
Favorite snack: Pepperjack Cheese and Strawberries
Favorite Movie: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Favorite Book: Harry Potter
Favorite TV Show: Real Housewives
Favorite Fictional Character: Lizzie McGuire