Tell us why you became a teacher

I always wanted to work with children. Going into special education seemed like the obvious choice after I took some nursing classes and learned it was not for me. Special education felt like a calling. It is my passion to advocate for communities that are typically ignored. I loved the idea of adapting tradition teaching practices to better suit marginalized groups of people. I also grew up around many children and love the spark of joy and silliness they bring into everything.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

This is a hard question to answer. I think the middle of this school year has been very memorable as I’ve seen a number of my students make huge progress, bringing me so much joy. Students who used to rarely talk are now communicating with me & others. Students who used to get triggered by academic work are now taking part in whole group and 1:1 learning. Students who struggled to regulate their emotions are able to talk about their feelings & use calm down strategies more frequently.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would pay off my schooling debt. I pour a lot of my own money into my classroom & my students. I enjoy doing this as I work to make my classroom an inviting, comfortable, & academically stimulating space. I honor my students birthdays & successes with celebratory experiences like fun Fridays & making food together. However, it would be wonderful to invest in my self in a way that will allow me to flourish in my career. Doing so by reducing my student debt would be extraordinary.