THE HEART BEHIND REL
Hi, I'm LeCha!
Former special education teacher, curriculum creator, wife, mom, and founder of Reaching Exceptional Learners.
I spent more than a decade in the classroom working with students who had a wide range of learning needs and abilities. Those years shaped not only the teacher I became, but also the resources I continue to create today.
What started in my own classroom in 2015 has grown into something I never could have imagined. And while I'm no longer teaching in a traditional classroom, my heart is still very much in special education.
I'm so happy you've found your way here!
How It All Began
My journey with Reaching Exceptional Learners began in 2015, but the inspiration behind it came from my own experiences as a special education teacher.
When I started teaching, my classroom had nothing. Literally- nothing. I didn't have a curriculum to follow, a budget to purchase materials, or even a collection of manipulatives and adapted toys for my students.
I wanted so badly to give my students the learning opportunities they deserved, but I didn't have the resources to make that happen.
During my first year of teaching, I not only went into debt to supply for my students but I also reached out to Spark Knoxville, an organization that generously provided my classroom with an incredible collection of adapted toys and learning materials. Their kindness made such a difference for my students, and it's something I've never forgotten.
But I still needed a curriculum and activities designed around my students' individual abilities, goals, and learning needs.
So, I started creating my own.I made activities that worked for my students, adapted materials to meet their needs, and slowly built the collection of resources I wished I'd had from the beginning.
Eventually, I began sharing those resources on Teachers Pay Teachers. Every dollar I earned went right back into my classroom, helping me purchase supplies and create even more learning opportunities for my students.
I never imagined those first few resources would eventually grow into Reaching Exceptional Learners as it exists today.
What started as a way to help the students sitting in front of me has grown into an opportunity to help teachers, families, and learners around the world.
From My Classroom to a New Chapter
For years, I lived in two worlds.
During the day, I was a full-time special education teacher. In the evenings and on weekends, I was working on Reaching Exceptional Learners.
There were countless late nights, busy weekends, and sacrifices along the way.
Building REL meant giving up a lot of my personal time, but I believed in what I was creating. Knowing that my resources were helping other teachers and students made the work worthwhile.
Little by little, REL continued to grow.
By the time I became pregnant with my daughter, those years of hard work had put me in a position I once could only have dreamed of. I was able to step away from the classroom and focus on Reaching Exceptional Learners full-time while also being home with her.
Becoming a mom brought an entirely new perspective to my work. I had spent years looking at education through the eyes of a teacher. Now, I was also experiencing the joy of watching my own child learn, grow, and discover the world.
My days look very different now, but I'm incredibly grateful that REL allows me to continue doing what I love while being present for the moments that matter most at home.
Why I Still Love What I Do
More than a decade after creating my first resources, I still love what I do just as much as I did when I started.
What means the most to me is knowing that something I created in my own little corner of the world is now helping teachers and families across the globe.
I love knowing that teachers are finding resources that make their jobs a little easier and help them reach students with a wide range of learning needs.
Having spent so many years in the classroom myself, I understand how much time, energy, and heart goes into meeting the needs of every learner.
I love being able to support parents as they navigate their own educational journeys with their children. Whether they're homeschooling, working on skills at home, or simply searching for something that works for their child, I'm grateful to be able to offer resources that can help them along the way.
But what means the most to me is knowing that students with exceptional learning needs are benefiting from the materials I create.
Somewhere in the world, a student is practicing a new skill, becoming a little more independent, or reaching a goal with the help of something that began as an idea at my desk.
That's something I will never take for granted.
Becoming a mom has made this work even more meaningful. I now get to create resources that my own daughter can learn from and enjoy, while continuing to support the teachers, parents, and students who inspired me to begin this journey.
When I think about how far Reaching Exceptional Learners has come since 2015, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude.
What started as a way to meet the needs of my own students has grown into an opportunity to support learners around the world.
My space may look different today, but my purpose has never changed. Every learner deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.