KANNAPOLIS — A.L. Brown exceptional children (EC) instructor Samantha Berg was named the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month earlier this week at the Kannapolis City School’s Board of Education meeting.

Berg has two classes per day at A.L. Brown where she works with a combined class that features approximately 50 percent EC students. Both classes are co-taught with another teacher.

Berg’s story is a powerful one, many years in the making. Her path was charted from a young age after an experience at a Massachusetts grade school.

“I grew up having a brother with a learning disability, and in elementary school, they told him that he was not smart enough for that school district and that they couldn’t teach him,” Berg said. “That’s not true at all. He just learned in a different way. So for me, being the big sister, I got very defensive and upset about it … That’s my baby brother. I don’t want anyone hurting him or ever saying anything that was negative about him.”

That memory always stayed with Berg and after graduating from high school, she attended High Point University, later earning a master’s degree from Salem College. She’s currently working towards a Ph.D. at HPU. Berg did not always plan on being a math teacher, however, but she has always liked math and found that it came easier than other conventional subjects. The universal nature of mathematical concepts also appealed to Berg over common regional distinctions that can rear their heads in English.

“Math was always wherever I went, it was the same,” she said. “So I liked that when it came to being an EC teacher.”

Today, she remains focused on the behavioral elements of her field, a drive that also stems from her youth.

“I work a lot with behaviors, because when I was growing up, my passion was trying to figure out why the behavior is the way that it is,” she said. “A lot of the students I work with have some underlying behavior and reason they act in the way they do. So one of the things I find probably the most rewarding is seeing the kids and seeing them admit like, ‘Hey, this is why I’m doing this, and this is how I have to do better in the future.’”

For Berg, one of the most important aspects of her work is dispelling notions that many people have about the students that she instructs.

“My No. 1 thing is that anything a Gen. Ed. student can do, an EC student can do, too,” she said. “My biggest pet peeve is when people say they can’t do it. And that’s not the case. They just have different ways of getting there … I always tell everyone that our EC kids are Gen. Ed. kids first, just with accommodations.

So how has Berg found success with her pupils?

“I think a big part of it is trying to figure out what they want, what are their dreams?” she said. “What are their futures? What is their goal in life? The majority of them have something that they want to do, whether it’s going to a four-year college … I had a student tell me how he is going to be in the NFL. And so, OK, how are we going to get there? What can we do?”

Some former and current students offered testimony in support of Berg’s recognition that aligned with the teacher’s pedagogical approach. The former student chimed in on Berg’s outsized influence on their life.

“Ms. Berg inspired me a few years ago, showing me I could achieve more than I ever thought,” she said. “Even after I left K-Town, she still checks in on me and even came to my game at Cox Mill last year to cheer me on. She was there for me when no one else was and encouraged me both in and out of the classroom.”

One of those current students shared that Berg “has been the biggest help to me. When I need help with my math work, she’s right there. She’s a great person — so kind to everyone — and even when she’s having a bad day, she still makes people smile. I appreciate her a lot for her help; I don’t know where I would be without her.”

Another student reported that Berg’s “a good teacher who is actually there for her students and cares for them. She stops whatever she’s doing to check in when something is wrong. She’s one of the teachers I trust with everything. I can talk to her without feeling judged.”

A.L. Brown Principal Dr. Sara Newell pointed to Berg’s continuous pursuit of educational attainment and advancement in her field as standing out.

“A lifelong learner, Ms. Berg has gained certification in the areas of exceptional children, counseling and is currently completing coursework in the area of administration,” Newell said. “This range of knowledge makes Ms. Berg invaluable when addressing student needs. Further, Ms. Berg always wants the best for students and strived to create an environment where students feel understood, cared for, and inspired at all times.”

Newell also noted that Berg wears numerous hats.

“Ms. Berg is part of the MTSS Problem-Solving Team, is the EC department chair, and serves in an administrative capacity when administrators need to be off campus,” she said. “Ms. Berg connects with district support to better A. L. Brown High School and ensures she asks needed questions to garner necessary information and resources for students and staff.”