LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Tiago Cordeiro Arantes was nominated anonymously.

Mr. Cordeiro Arantes intentionally builds a classroom culture rooted in respect, belonging, and high expectations. On the first day, he co-creates a classroom pledge with his students so they have ownership over shared values. He greets each student by name every morning, making sure they feel seen and valued from the moment they walk in. He incorporates social-emotional learning activities daily to help students practice empathy, communication, and problem-solving skills. He works with bilingual learners and creates an inclusive space by validating and celebrating both languages, providing sentence stems in English and Spanish, and encouraging students to use their full linguistic abilities when expressing ideas. He establishes consistent routines and clear expectations so students feel safe to take academic risks. Through a combination of collaborative learning, positive reinforcement, and relationship-building, his classroom becomes a place where students know they are capable, supported, and essential to the learning community.