We are delighted to announce our December 2024 Teacher of the Month! Radka Pulliam is a Special Education teacher at AccessSFUSD: The Arc. We are honored to recognize Radka for her unwavering dedication to her students, school, and community!
Radka brings incredible dedication to her students every day! One area where she truly shines is in her art explorations class, which meets for four hours every Wednesday. In this class, she works closely with each student to help them express their creativity through large-scale art projects that take weeks to complete. The transformation of their work is nothing short of breathtaking, creating beautifully layered pieces that deeply reflect their identities. These amazing artworks are showcased at the school’s end-of-year art showcase at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater. The pride on the faces of the students and their families says it all about the impact these experiences have on their community.
Radka arrives at work every day with a big smile and a passion for teaching and learning. She’s always looking for ways to make the Arc’s practices more student-centered and focused on what matters most to her students. Her commitment extends to providing training, feedback, and ongoing professional development to the Arc’s fantastic team of paraeducators. Plus, she creates the most amazing student checklists to support students both in school and in the community. Her lamination and photo skills are top-notch; she’s even inspired students who don’t necessarily need a checklist to ask for one. Truly, her checklists are the “Cadillac” of resources!
In a program where every student receives special education services throughout the day, being creative and innovative in our planning is key. Radka expertly manages a team of ten paraeducators across up to eight community sites each day, which definitely keeps her on her toes! She skillfully creates materials and checklists tailored to each site, promoting student independence and skill development while continuously finding new opportunities for our students to shine.
One of her standout talents is troubleshooting. If one or two staff members are absent, it can really throw a wrench in the schedule, but Radka is a whiz at reshuffling everything to keep the fun going and the learning happening!
And let’s not forget her expertise in literacy instruction! Radka’s weekly literacy class is designed to be highly motivating and meaningful for all students, from those who communicate through pictures and use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to those reading at a seventh-grade level and everyone in between. She addresses all learning styles and uses a variety of engaging methods to keep students excited about learning. Radka is a true difference-maker!
Check out this video other teachers and students made to thank Radka. 🎬
Meet other Teacher of the Month awardees, and nominate a special SFUSD teacher in your life.