Brittany Knauer

Becoming a teacher was originally not in Brittany Knauer’s plans, and she made sure her Mom knew it. 

“For years, my mom told me I should teach, and my answer was always no,” Knauer said. However, she wanted to work in a field where she could make a difference, so she switched from pursuing a criminal justice degree to a degree in education. 

Knauer teaches U.S. History and Texas History at Montgomery Junior High School in Montgomery, Tex. It’s no surprise that her mother started Knauer on her journey to becoming a teacher, and she cites both parents as her biggest influence. 

“They have always worked hard to take care of me and my siblings to ensure that we had the best childhoods possible,” Knauer said. “They taught me what it meant to work hard and have a purpose in everything that I do.” 

Knauer frequently references the essay “Lynch Law” from civil rights advocate Ida B. Wells in her classroom, which is found in the Bill of Rights Institute’s Plainest Demands of Justice resource. Knauer said the essay is “well put together and had great questions that allowed my students to really dig into the document. I look forward to using [more] documents in my class moving forward!” 

Knauer mentioned her proudest achievement as a teacher is when her students tell her they enjoy coming to her class, adding, “Junior high is an interesting time, so if I can get my students to buy in and look forward to coming to my class, it is a win!”