LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Teresa Inman was nominated by her principal, LaCosta Hodges.

"If I were asked to choose one person who demonstrates positive beliefs about teaching, I would say Mrs. Teresa Inman," said Hodges. "Teresa adopts 25 new kids every single year, and she makes it her personal goal to help each child reach their fullest potential. Teresa sets high expectations for herself, her students, and every person who enters her classroom. She creates an environment which inspires exploration, higher level thinking, and creativity. Teresa has an amazing ability to build students’ confidence in themselves."

Walk into Mrs. Inman's classroom at any given moment, and you will see students who are working collaboratively, self-directing, and digging deep into content. She engages students in a way that promotes a love for learning. Her passion for teaching is evident in the extra mile she goes every day for her students.

She won a grant this year for a PBL project which integrates Math, Science, Reading, Technology, and career readiness skills. Students created digital projects, learned about budgeting, and developed communication skills. The culminating activity included community and business partners. She also won a Donor’s Choose grant this year to purchase needed materials for her classroom.

Mrs. Inman works tirelessly to help her students succeed. She understands her school's demographic and knows how to reach her school's population of students. She creates real life experiences that build true background knowledge.

"Teresa is loving and compassionate. She truly believes teachers can change children’s lives, and that’s exactly what she does every day," said Hodges. "Teresa’s former students often come back to Oakvale to see their favorite teacher. She impacts students' lives in a special way that is never forgotten."