LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Morgan Alderman was nominated anonymously.

Ms. Alderman creates a positive classroom environment, which starts with her building strong, respectful relationships with her students, setting clear expectations and consistent routines, and celebrating each child's unique strengths and growth. She works to foster a sense of belonging by making her space inclusive and welcoming, reflecting her students' identities, and giving them voice and choice in their learning. She also keeps open communication with families so they feel connected and supported. By modeling kindness, patience, and enthusiasm every day, she helps her students feel safe, valued, and motivated to do their best — turning her classroom into a place where they all want to be so they can all thrive together.

Her school is a Title 1 school, which means it serves a high percentage of students from low-income families. Many of her students do not have access to books or educational resources at home, so her classroom must provide rich, engaging, and varied opportunities to build reading skills. First grade is a critical year for developing foundational reading skills. Many of her students benefit from learning by doing — manipulating letters, building words, playing reading games, and actively engaging with stories.

In her first year of teaching, she began with eight out of 19 students who were reading below grade level and were in a Tier 2 intervention. This meant she worked in a small group setting with these students, and saw their reading skills grow more each time they were assessed. At the end of the year, only two students remained in the Tier 2 intervention, and she began exploring additional intervention resources for them. The other six students were moved out because their reading skills had developed, and they are testing out of Tier 2. She also saw a love for reading grow and blossom within her classroom. Of course, getting six-year-olds to read every day is a struggle, but overall, her students are excited to read or be read to. They especially love when she reads them chapter books like Junie B Jones and Magic Tree House.