Meet Ms. Tyresha Williams | Special Education Teacher | The Learning Center
ÈËÆÞÂÒÂ× DC has grown and undergone many changes since its inception in 2001. From humble beginnings in a tiny church basement to now 16 schools and the distinction of being highest performing PreK-12 public school system in District of Columbia, Tyresha Williams, special education teacher at the Learning Center, has been there from the start.
“ÈËÆÞÂÒÂ× DC has always been a huge part of my journey. I was a part of the founding ÈËÆÞÂÒÂ× DC class of 2001 with Ms. Schaeffler. Whenever I came home for summers during college, I did my internships through ÈËÆÞÂÒÂ× DC. My ÈËÆÞÂÒÂ× Through College & Career adviser knew I had a passion for teaching and connected me with the Capital Teaching Residency and I’ve been teaching here ever since.â€�
Ms. Williams earned her degree in interdisciplinary studies with a minor in elementary education from in 2013. Coming back to her hometown to inspire the next generation of students just like her was a deciding factor in returning to ÈËÆÞÂÒÂ× DC.
“I’m from Washington, D.C. and it’s important to me that our students believe they can achieve anything they want in life. I don’t want them to think that because they are from a certain place or look a certain way that they can’t achieve. I’m that story that says you can.�
Beyond the excellence she pushes in the classroom, the ability to relate directly to the day-to-day lives of her students is key to her ability to make a connection. “I love the relationship I have with my students. We laugh, we joke, they ask questions about my son, but they also know when it’s time to be serious,� she said.
“I tell them all the time that I’ve been through what you’re going through now and can relate. The work you are doing is hard but believe me; it pays off in the long run when you’re accepted into college or get that first job.�
Reflecting on being a student during ÈËÆÞÂÒÂ× DC’s infancy, to now leading a ÈËÆÞÂÒÂ× DC classroom of her own still seems a bit surreal. “Sometimes it’s hard to believe that some of my former teachers are now co-workers, or that I’m sitting in leadership meetings with my former administrators. It’s also hard to believe as a whole how much we’ve grown since the early days.â€� What isn’t hard to believe is the profound impact teachers like Ms. Williams have in the lives of our students each day.