Susan Grove

Connect Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because I wanted to share my love of learning with others. After a long hiatus between years 1 and 2 (21, to be exact), I realized I wanted to teach because there were so many opportunities to help students learn in spite of the challenges they face, and also to give them space to be themselves in an environment where they feel safe and loved.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

There are so many memorable moments! One of the best is when I filled in for a colleague who was on medical leave. A second-grader wrote me a thank-you note telling me "Good job!" Years later, as a high school special education teacher, it gives me incredible joy to watch my "babies" walk across the dais at graduation, knowing they have wonderful futures ahead of them.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use $25,000 to help upgrade the wifi in my building. The increased use of technology in our post-pandemic world makes it challenging for staff to be highly effective teachers given the aging infrastructure. This would give teachers the opportunity to implement new strategies to increase engagement for all students.