Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher to help students with disabilities overcome any weaknesses they may have and turn them into strengths. I want my students to know that they have the ability as long as they give it their all. Watching my students grow and beat so many of their educational goals is one of the biggest reasons I became a Special Education teacher. I love calling their families and giving them a celebration for accomplishing their goals. It’s all about making a difference for the students!

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

A memorable teaching experience I have had is having a student join my classroom with some reading difficulties in reading fluency. This student could only read 10 words in a minute at that time. Today he can read 51 words in a minute. This is a huge achievement which made my assistants and myself cry because we were so proud of him. This will forever be one of my favorite memories as a teacher!

What would you do with the $25,000?

What I would do with the 25,000 dollars is put it towards making a more accessible life skills area for my students. This would allow them to learn about skills they need to be more independent as well as explore future career opportunities. Many of my students want to have a job or live independently so this would help give them the motivation achieve this. I want to be able to give them the outlets they need to accomplish as many skills as they can towards their future careers.