LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Saketha Duggan was nominated anonymously.

Ms. Duggan teaches in an inclusion classroom, where she carefully considers her students’ unique needs, interests, and sensitivities to create a supportive and stimulating learning environment. She designs her classroom to promote independence, critical thinking, and collaboration, ensuring that students have a voice in their learning. By gathering insights from parents about what motivates their children, she builds an environment where everyone can learn from one another.

She pays close attention to details such as classroom colors, using soft, calming tones to avoid overstimulation and gradually adding more vibrant colors throughout the year to enhance lessons and highlight learning goals. From the very first day, she tells her students that they are a reflection of her, and their classroom is a reflection of them. Together, they create a space that is welcoming not only for themselves but also for visitors.

Ms. Duggan blends structure with creativity, helping her students grow into confident readers, problem-solvers, and independent thinkers. She encourages students to explain their reasoning, whether their answers are correct or not, fostering a deeper understanding of concepts. Hands-on learning is central to her teaching—students are often moving, talking, and sharing their thoughts openly.

This year, Ms. Duggan is incorporating a strong emphasis on science through the creation of a classroom garden, where students will plant and nurture flowers, fruits, and vegetables as they connect lessons across reading, writing, and math. She also plans to extend learning opportunities with an aquarium, sparking curiosity about ecosystems and broadening students’ perspectives.

In the 2023–2024 school year, her class was recognized with an award for outstanding student growth in iReady Math. Above all, Ms. Duggan is dedicated to providing a classroom that is both stimulating and comfortable, where students are motivated to arrive each day eager to learn and grow.