ORLANDO Fla. — Orange County A+ Teacher Sofia Berlin was inspired to teach by her grandmother, who taught special education students.

“She was very wise, and she had a different piece of advice for any situation that could happen and she just kind of convinced me," Berlin said. "She was awesome.” 

While reading and writing assignments can be a challenge for students, Berlin tries to make sure her lessons are always fun and relatable.

Her students at Sadler Elementary School recently took part in a mock courtroom event, with Berlin pointing to a student’s worksheet saying, “So your courtroom notes. We’re going to focus on TikTok. We want to hear what they have to say. How are they going to convince you that TikTok should be allowed for kids under 13?"

Berlin explained to us, “I thought maybe a courtroom because they have to argue a side, they have to prove their case, they have to find the evidence and then adding a little competition in there never hurts for motivation either.”

She said she loves to see her student’s growth.

“I get excited when I see the lightbulb go off," she said. "I have fun with them. I am a kid at heart anyway.”

With eight years of teaching experience, those are the moments that really keep her going. Berlin said.

“It makes me want to keep doing what I’m doing, and it makes me want to push them to keep doing what they’re doing because they’re the reason I’m here,” she said.

There’s an important lesson Berlin said she wants each of her students to take with them, too, as they move on to the next grade.

“If you’re feeling like you can’t do something, we don’t say that," Berlin said. "We say we can’t do it yet. That means that we’re working toward it, and I want them to have the confidence to continue saying that and to continue thinking that way forever.”