4th-Grade Teacher is Shaping Confident Learners: Meet Devon Houghton, Our January 2026 Honoree

Devon Houghton, a 4th-grade teacher at Beatrice H Wood Elementary School in Plainville, MA is the recipient of our January 2026 Honored National Teaching Award. She was nominated for this award by the parents of her student, Sammy. Joining Mrs. Houghton in this episode are Sammy and Sammy's mom, Erin.   You'll hear about: - Mrs. Houghton's journey to becoming a teacher. - The impact Mrs. Houghton has had on Sammy and her family. - Mrs. Houghton's dedication to building strong relationships with her students.  - Mrs. Houghton's passion for creating a safe, fun, and growth-oriented environment for her students. - How Mrs. Houghton supported Sammy when she was experiencing bullying.    You'll also hear from Angel Wunderlich, the Senior Regional Partnerships Manager at TEACH.org Minnesota. She shares about a teacher who left an incredible impact on their journey in our segment "Teachers Who Inspired". With a deep background in education and community development, Angela leads statewide efforts to diversify the teaching workforce and remove barriers to entry for aspiring educators. Angela brings years of experience in inclusion strategy, program leadership, and cross-sector collaboration to this mission. Before joining TeachMN, Angela taught high school Spanish at the Neighborhood House Charter School in Dorchester, MA, and served as the Director of Community Development and Inclusion for the YMCA of the North.   Links Mentioned: - Read more about Devon Houghton's story: https://www.honored.org/honoree/devon-houghton - Nominate a teacher for our Honored National Teaching Award: https://www.honored.org/nominate/ - Read the incredible nomination for Devon Houghton: https://www.honored.org/nominees/devon-houghton/ - Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honored/ - Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@honoredteachers - Follow us on X: https://x.com/honored/ - Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Honored.org/ - Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/honored.org   Episode Music Credits: - Music by DanaMusic: https://pixabay.com/users/danamusic-31920663/ - Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/