AZ Sp Ed teacher Tiffani Jaseph named her state’s 2026 Teacher of the Year

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Special Education educator Tiffani Jaseph of Arizona has been named her state’s 2026 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Tiffani Joseph

I am always excited when I can share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned accolades for their work in the classroom. Today, I can share the story of Tiffani Jaseph, a Special Education teacher from Arizona who has been named her state’s 2026 Teacher of the Year.

Tiffani teaches kindergarten through fifth grade at Copper View Elementary School in Sahuarita, Arizona.

She had always wanted to be a teacher, Tiffani confesses, even since she was a student in college. After spending some time teaching in general education lasses, she realized her true passion was for special education.

“We must create a learning environment that embraces all learners,” asserts Tiffani. “I am dedicated to empowering diverse students and cultivating equitable educational opportunities, especially within the general education classroom,” she continues. “With a passion for developing and implementing differentiated curricula, I focus on addressing social-emotional needs, supporting students with diverse backgrounds, and championing practices that uplift neuro-divergent learners,” she concludes.

According to Tiffani, what makes an excellent special education teacher? “You need to be open-minded and be flexible, because we’re always learning and trying to figure out what works for our students and what works one day will not work the next day. So you have to be open-minded and flexible,” she responds.

Tiffani earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2005 and her Master’s degree Special Education in 2009, both from the University of Arizona. Her career as a professional educator spans 15 years, 10 of them as a Special Education teacher.

Her State Teacher of the Year honor is not the only recognition Tiffani has earned. She was named Teacher of the Year at both the Yuma and Sahuarita districts, and she was a finalist for Sahuarita District Teacher of the Year.

 

Travel to China offers unique opportunities to develop lessons for the classroom

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Author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell and her husband, Hal, visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu as part of their tour of China last month. Photo credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Educators are well aware that travel is one of the most meaningful experiential learning opportunities available for both themselves and for their students. And summer vacation is a great time for travel! Last month, my husband Hal and I were able to spend nearly three weeks in China, and we enjoyed many unique experiences there that would serve very well as springboards for classroom lessons. One of them was a visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu.

This research center is a sanctuary for giant pandas, red pandas, and other endangered wild animals found only in China. The center also serves as the world’s pre-eminent institution for giant panda conservation, scientific research, breeding, popular science education, and cultural tourism.

The first thing we did upon our arrival was to take in a panoramic view of the entire research base. The facility was built on a summit that offers breathtaking views. Trees cover the slopes as crystal clean rivers wind down the hills.

We arrived early, and spent the next two hours wandering from one enclosure to the next, observing many of the approximately 100 giant pandas who live there enjoy their breakfast, chewing bamboo with their strong teeth while holding the stalks with their two front paws. Some of them were climbing trees to find to look for young, tender leaves. They looked very clumsy up there, but we were told that they are actually quite adept at climbing, and even if they fell a short distance they could survive it well. Our local guide shared many a surprising fact about these adorable endangered bears, and we learned a great deal about the species during our visit there. We learned to much about giant pandas that day!

I’m sure there are many teachers at both the elementary and secondary levels who would be eager to share information about giant pandas with their students. Of course, it wouldn’t be easy for an American classroom teacher to escort a group of students to Chengdu, China. But teachers who are developing classroom curriculum for their students could examine this website for the Chengdu Research Base for information to help.

NYC Performing Arts teacher garners Big Apple Award

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Performing Arts educator Amanda Mendez of New York City has garnered a 2025—2026 Big Apple Award from the New York City Department of Education. Photo credit: Rocket Reach

There are many outstanding teachers working in New York City public schools who are deserving of recognition. One of these is Amanda Mendez, a Performing Arts educator who teaches at The Bath Beach School. She has garnered a 202—2026 Big Apple Award from the New York City Department of Education.

Amanda teaches theater courses at Public School 163, a highly rated school located in Brooklyn. The facility serves students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.

In addition to working with students in the classroom, Amanda is also the Program Director for the FIAO SONYC after school program in her building, she is a member of her school’s graduation committee, and she has collaborated in writing curriculum units for Theatre for the Office of Arts and Special Projects Office.

Amanda earned her Bachelor’s degree in Dramatic Arts with a Minor in Psychology from City University of New York, Staten Island. She earned her Master’s degree in Educational Theater from the same university in 2018.

The Big Apple Awards recognize and celebrate New York City teachers who inspire students to be their best selves, dream, and advocate for their future; model equitable learning with high expectations for the diverse and dynamic needs of all students; affirm students’ identities, unique gifts, and genius; and enrich their school communities by partnering with families, community members, and community-based organizations.

 

The remarkable Stacey Bess, who taught in The School With No Name

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Educator, author, and public speaker Stacey Bess taught in a storage shed in a Salt Lake City homeless shelter when she was a first year teacher. Photo credit: American Program Bureau, Inc.

Here is a teacher who is truly inspirational: Stacey Bess of Salt Lake City, Utah.

As a first-year teacher in the late 1980’s, Stacey landed in a classroom set up in a storage shed in a local homeless shelter. The facility was literally referred to as The School With No Name. As you can imagine, her students wrestled with a variety of difficult circumstances, including unstable living arrangements, domestic abuse, poverty, and alcohol and drug-abusing parents. Not the most desirable circumstances for learning. But this remarkable teacher created a safe and loving classroom environment for her kids. She went to battle with the local school board for a more suitable teaching space and better resources. And, oh, yeah, she raised her own family and defeated thyroid cancer at the same time.

While working at The School With No Name, Stacey chronicled the heart-wrenching stories of her students so she would never forget how far these children had come. After reviewing the stories, she discovered profound life-lessons and eventually wrote a book entitled Nobody Don’t Love Nobody, published in 1994.

For her outstanding work with underprivileged students, Stacey has been recognized with a number of awards, including the National Jefferson Award for Greatest Public Service by Someone 35 Years or Younger in 1995. She received the Delta Kappa Gamma Educator’s Award in 1995 and the Rescuer of Humanity from Project Love award in 1996.

Today, Stacey works as a public speaker, advocating for the educational rights of underprivileged children. She travels throughout the country sharing her story and offering inspiration to new and veteran educators. “We are in the best business in the whole world,” she tells her audiences. “We are in the kid business.”

You can read the story of this dynamic educator, in Beyond the Blackboard, published in 2011 and currently available through amazon.com. Stacey also published Planting More Than Pansies: A Fable about Love in 2003.

Celebrating Chalkboard Champions who have served our Country

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When celebrating our nation’s veterans today, I like to remember that many of them are also Chalkboard Champions. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 2% of teachers in our nation’s classrooms are military veterans.

The call to service is something that many service members don’t lose once they are discharged from the military. That’s one of the reasons that so many veterans gravitate towards the teaching professions once their service is complete.

Military veterans have many personality traits that make them particularly suited for a career in teaching. When entering the profession, veterans are typically older and have had more varied life experiences. In addition, veterans can bring a wealth of leadership qualities to the classroom. An understanding of the importance of discipline, an appreciation of the value of education, the ability to adapt, and the capacity to work well, even highly stressful circumstances, are some of the qualities that veterans can bring to the classroom. Also, often veterans possess the ability to persevere, which is a trait that is especially needed in a profession that has a high turnover rate.

Another valuable characteristic that many veterans possess is their potential to connect with students from ethnically diverse neighborhoods or lower-economic backgrounds, because many veterans themselves come from such circumstances. They understand from firsthand experience how challenging some school environments can be, and therefore may be more invested in helping to make a difference in such school systems. Furthermore, veterans have been especially trained to accomplish tasks collaboratively.

For these reasons, and many more, veterans are invaluable as Chalkboard Champions. So, today and every day, let’s celebrate our nation’s teachers who are also veterans!