Rebecka Peterson might incorporate ‘Teacher of the Year’ into her daily classroom practice of highlighting one positive development each day.

The math teacher from Tulsa, Oklahoma, makes every day brighter with her passion for her kids and her unwavering commitment to demonstrating the happiness that can be found in a classroom.

She accomplishes this by encouraging her students to write in their handwritten diaries every day about something positive that occurred in her Union High School class on her One Good Thing blog.

First Lady Jill Biden, a teacher herself, complimented Peterson for sharing the ‘beautiful and positive experiences’ that come with teaching in a video tribute on Wednesday morning.

The Council of Chief State School Officers, which provides funding for the National Teacher of the Year program, which identifies exceptional teachers, recognizes their work,

and immerses them in a year of professional development, named Rebecka the best teacher in her state and one of five finalists to be named the best in the country.

According to Oklahoma Education Association President Katherine Bishop, ‘Since Rebecka was named the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year,

she has traveled all over the state to report on more stories of hope, creativity, and joy in classrooms.’

Additionally, the one-year program aims to provide teachers with the tools they need to engage in state and federal policy discussions.

‘What it means to be an outstanding educator is embodied by her ability to tap into students’ joy and form authentic bonds, as well as her dedication to making learning truly accessible,’

stated NEA President Becky Pringle. In addition, the former college math instructor received recognition

as one of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching’s six state finalists