In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Kansas Teacher of the Year Sam Neill tells us what it’s like to feel powerless to make big changes—and how she started by helping a student she’ll never forget.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 CNMI Teacher of the Year Antenille Santos tells us what happened when she chose to ignore one class’s reputation and focused on believing in them instead. 

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 North Carolina Teacher of the Year Lisa Godwin shares how her own journey of learning to be vulnerable helped her become a better teacher.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Oregon Teacher of the Year Matthew Bacon-Brenes talks about one of the most challenging classes of his career—and how he used his commitment to his students as a tool for helping them learn Japanese history.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Virginia Teacher of the Year Michelle Cottrell-Williams tells us about Leo—a student who struggled to find his own voice, until he had something to say about the Parkland shooting.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 South Dakota Teacher of the Year Rachel Schaefer tells us how she developed an important personal motto: teachers need teachers.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Vermont Teacher of the Year Linda Cloutier-Namdar tells us about Jessie, a 9th grader who needed a teacher to believe in him—and how discovering his love of hip-hop reminded her just how powerful student-teacher relationships can be.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Iowa Teacher of the Year Aileen Sullivan shares the story of how her son inspired her to take on a new mission: making the first day of high school more welcoming for freshman students.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 Arkansas Teacher of the Year Randi House talks to us about why it’s important to use your own judgment as a teacher to engage kids—even if that means going off-book sometimes.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2018 California Teacher of the Year Brian McDaniel tells us about Jessica, a non-verbal student who found her voice in his choir class—and the inspiring message she left him with before she graduated.