Maggie Salas helps Poe Middle School students find success in San Antonio ISD

For 28 years, Maggie Salas has helped students find success not only in her middle school math classroom but also in their lives. She dedicates herself to helping every child find a way to learn and do well, although many of them come to school unprepared for learning. She consistently calls and meets with parents, works with students before and after school, coaches girls' sports, and participates in extracurricular events to support the students.

She comes into the classroom assuming every child is capable of learning and her "can do" attitude is infectious. Although many of them have experienced failure before, Ms. Salas is determined to help them find an area in which they can experience success by making choices that help them grow and develop.

With her interactive white board, she uses technology, hands-on manipulatives, games and group collaboration to teach mathematics. Students focus on problem solving and long-term conceptual understanding. "If they learn how to make the right choices in middle school, they'll have an easier time of it in high school," Ms. Salas says.