Creating School Communities with 2026 South Dakota Teacher of the Year Becky Haenfler

About this episode

Becky Haenfler discusses her experiences as the 2026 South Dakota Teacher of the Year and the impact of teaching in a small rural school.

Send us Fan Mail Becky Haenfler, the 2026 South Dakota Teacher of the Year, has spent 20 years building relationships and inspiring readers. Now in her role as a middle school ELA teacher in Avon, SD, she serves the same community that shaped her as a student. In this episode, Haenfler shares how teaching in a small rural school influences everything from translating lessons between coaching and the classroom to lifelong student connections. Reflecting on her full-circle journey back to...

People in this episode

Host: Moreland University

Guest: Becky Haenfler

Topics covered

• school communities
• teacher of the year
• rural education
• ELA teaching
• student connections

Keywords

• Becky Haenfler
• South Dakota Teacher of the Year
• middle school
• ELA teacher
• rural school
• student relationships
• education

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Moreland University

Places: South Dakota, Avon, SD

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