Christina Liebler

Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because I was working as a sub in a Life Skills class after my kids were all in school and I fell in love with students with special needs. It became my happy place to spend time with these students and watch them grow and learn. The field of Teaching Blind and Visually Impaired fell into my lap a couple of years later and I never looked back! I went back to school to get certified as a teacher for the visually impaired and love the opportunity I have to work with students.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

One memorable teaching experience that stands out in recent years was teaching a kindergartener who had lost her sight to brain cancer. She was also an English language learner and traditional braille teaching methods were not as effective due to her language barrier. When I figured out a way to teach her and saw the light click on in her head, she began to gobble up braille and was so excited about the world it opened up to her through literacy. Her wonderfilled smile is why I do what I do.

What would you do with the $25,000?

In all honesty, I would use the $ to pay down debt. It is hard to live on one paycheck in this current time in history and I often have to juggle in order to support my family and cover housing and expenses. I'd also like to take my kids on a trip. We have not been able to travel due to the expense and I'd love to go somewhere with them to see the world.