Open to Ideas

“I had to tell her how thankful I was for her.” Samantha Davis, Special Education Teacher “There are so many kids who get left behind.” California native Ms. Samantha Davis has spent 17 years supporting students and families as a Special Education Teacher, and is incredibly proud of returning to her childhood district to teach. As the ONLY Black educator in her school, she speaks about how she was received as a professional, (“Parents were shocked that I was a teacher at the school”), reflects on the power of parent collaboration (“My parents didn’t have that support”), and why failing math class and  attending summer school changed her life (“Why are you here?”). In addition to the experiences that shaped her creative approach to student engagement, Samantha also speaks to the mindset required to be a Special Education Teacher, and shares ideas and encouragement for doing whatever it takes to reach your students. IG: @BlackEducators.Matter Website: www.blackeducatorsmatter.org Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BlackEducatorsMatter Store: https://teespring.com/stores/black-educators-matter