Tell us why you became a teacher

I think a better question would be why do I still choose to teach. Every day I wake up and recommit to this profession. I was initially drawn to teaching to celebrate success in every student. I stay teaching to continue to provide a safe, supportive, learning environment where I form a meaningful connection with every child, provide a safe learning space, and celebrate every level of success. I continue to teach because I firmly believe in being there for every child, every day.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

In my third year, I had a student with significant trauma. Consistently facing the threat of abuse, he would often loose his temper in the classroom due to being in a constant state of fight, flight, or freeze. There were moments when I would be at a loss and not know how to help him. Through consistent support and relationship building, I became one of his trusted adults. He would confide in me, listen, and respect me. He lead me to my passion of becoming certified in Trauma Informed Education.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Oh my lanta.. It is hard to even fathom it. I would invest in school and district level training for classroom teachers about research based-social emotional learning strategies in the classroom. I would also provide materials, tools, and professional development for all teachers to become trauma informed and be able to work towards creating school policies and procedures that support learners of all abilities.