Stepping Into Special Education

✨ What a night to remember! ✨

On Thursday, I had the honor of celebrating at the San Bernardino County Teachers of the Year ceremony. It was such a beautiful event, and my heart is full of gratitude. 💛

I’m so thankful for this incredible recognition and for the love, encouragement, and support from everyone who has been part of this journey. To those who were able to join me at the ceremony—your presence meant the world. 💐

This moment is not just mine, but a reflection of all the amazing educators, colleagues, students, and families I’ve been blessed to work alongside. Together, we make a difference. 🌟

Countywide Teacher of the Year portraits & interview… done! ✅

What an unforgettable experience being in this amazing studio—definitely felt like I stepped into my news anchor era! 🎤📸
Grateful for this opportunity to share the heart behind what we do as educators. 💛

Just a regular Sunday afternoon after church… when my friend/school secretary Miss Empress messaged me: “Did you see the Herald News?” 😱😭 I had no idea I was on the front page! I’m truly honored and so grateful for the chance to represent the heart of what we do as educators. Thank you, God, for always going before me. 🙌🏼💛

🌟 I Still Can’t Believe This Happened… 🌟

Last week, I was called to the district office for what I thought was a press release interview as District Teacher of the Year. But when I walked in… I was completely shocked.

Waiting for me was a room full of people—my principal, our district superintendent, the HR superintendent, our communications liaison, and more—all there to surprise me and share the news that I’ve been named one of the Countywide Teachers of the Year.

I immediately burst into tears and had to grab onto the door frame just to keep myself from falling. 😭 I was overwhelmed with emotion—completely in awe of the moment.

Sharing this feels a little vulnerable, but I’m doing it because this moment isn’t just about me. It’s about every teacher who quietly gives their all every day. It’s about the students we fight for, the families we serve, and the purpose behind it all.

And for me, more than anything, this is about God’s faithfulness. 🙏🏼 He has guided my path in ways I never could’ve imagined. Even in the hardest moments, He was paving the way. He knew exactly what He was doing—and this honor is just another reminder of His perfect plan.

Thank you to every student, parent, colleague, and friend who has been part of this journey. I’m beyond honored to represent our district—and now our entire county—as I move forward to the California Teacher of the Year process.

If you’re walking through a season of doubt… please know: God sees you. He’s working, even when it doesn’t feel like it. Keep going. 💜

When my assistant principal first asked me to start an after-school podcast club, I’ll be honest…… I was hesitant 🤔. I thought the extra time would be overwhelming ⏳… but it ended up being the exact opposite.

Our new podcast “Connecting with Kids” 🎧 is officially LIVE on YouTube — hosted by four incredible 5th grade girls ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

From brainstorming big ideas 💡 to recording their voices 🎙️ and dancing to the intro music 🎵, these young ladies brought so much heart, creativity, and laughter to every step.

This club became a breath of fresh air 🌬️ that truly reignited my love of teaching again ❤️‍🔥. For the first time, I felt excited to combine my teaching and creativity with my students.

Take a listen — and support these incredible young podcasters. It’s truly a podcast for kids, by kids. 👧👧👧👧

Link in bio!

I’m beyond honored to receive both 🏫 Teacher of the Year and 🏆 District Teacher of the Year!

Being recognized by my peers is incredibly humbling 🙏 and a reminder from the Lord above ✝️✨that I’m exactly where HE wants me to be.

What made it even more special was sharing this moment with my beautiful family ❤️ and the amazing colleagues I’m blessed to work with every day 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👩‍🏫👨‍🏫.

I get to make a difference for students who can’t always speak up for themselves ❤️,
partner with families to help their child thrive 🤝, and work alongside the best team of educators 💪👩‍🏫👨‍🏫.

I’m so proud to be a Special Educator📚

Still can’t believe this is real… ✨ First, I was honored to be named my school’s Teacher of the Year 🏫, and now I’ve been chosen as the District Teacher of the Year! 🎉😭

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and joy. 🙏🏼 Teaching fills my heart 💜, and being recognized for doing what I love is beyond humbling.

I thank God 🙌🏼 for what He’s called me to do and for giving me the passion to pour into my students. 👩🏻‍🏫✨ This honor means so much to me, but it’s truly a reflection of the incredible students who light up my days 🌟, the dedicated colleagues who inspire me 👏🏼, and the supportive school community that feels like family. 🏠

Feeling so blessed and still in complete shock! 💜 Let’s keep making a difference together! 🌍

Honored and humbled to be named Teacher of the Year! 🙏🏼💜

Grateful for my incredible students, supportive colleagues, and parents that make this work so meaningful. ❤️🥹

**Dyslexia: What Is It & How Special Education Teachers Can Help Struggling Readers with Melanie Brethour** Melanie Brethour is a resource teacher from Montreal, Quebec, dedicated to dyslexia awareness and the science of reading. Her commitment was sparked by her son Benjamin’s dyslexia diagnosis at age 9. To better support him and her students, she earned Orton-Gillingham associate-level certification and became a CERI structured literacy teacher. In this interview, Melanie and I discuss the challenges and potential solutions for identifying and supporting students with dyslexia. Melanie shared her personal experiences and recommended structured literacy approaches for teaching reading skills to dyslexic students. We also discussed the importance of transparency in parent communication and the role of special education teachers in identifying learning difficulties. This is a very insightful conversation you don’t want to miss! *Listen on your favorite podcast platform! #specialeducator #specialeducationteacher #specialedteacher #specialeducation #dyslexia