Devon Brenner practices what she teaches.
The Mississippi State associate professor of reading and language arts wants teachers who are responsible for teaching your elementary school-age children to consider themselves readers, writers and thinkers.
After all, if teachers don't practice what they teach, how can they really engage students to read about why snakes shed their skin, or to learn new vocabulary words? Brenner loves to engage in language, whether having a poem published or researching a book chapter about "new literacies," such as blogging, Twittering and texting.
A published poet, Brenner says sharing her writing in class when she teaches future teachers shows her own engagement. She says this helps future teachers see how it will make a difference in how they teach in their own classrooms after graduation.
"I really work hard to encourage them to become critical readers, writers and thinkers so they can teach their students to do the same," Brenner said.
Not just engaged in the classroom, the poet and professor fills leadership roles in the community organization Starkville in Motion, promoting walking and cycling in the community.