DELAND, Fla. — A+ Teacher Gina Walker really believes in her students at George W. Marks Elementary School in DeLand. Instead of focusing on their developmental disabilities, she focuses on their abilities and builds on them.

There’s no better way for Walker to start each day than head-on.

“People sometimes look at Special Ed population as what they can’t do, but we all need to think about what they can’t do yet because with the right instruction and support and patience. It’s amazing how people can change,” Walker said.

Walker said her classroom includes students with all exceptionalities in one room.

“It’s a challenge, and that’s why I took it on. I learn every day that extra special just means get up and keep trying,” she said.

Teaching at George W. Marks Elementary is Walker’s dream job. She said she’s always wanted to teach. “I think I was a teacher when I was four,” she said.

One step inside and you see there is so much joy and laughter in Walker’s class mixed in with learning.

“We have students, mainly autism, which is the spectrum and we have the kids that have the lower IQs, but honestly, this group is kindergarten and first grade and there’s no telling their potential,” she expressed.

Walker said it’s important that her students can learn at their own pace.

“To open these students to potential, that’s the joy. I had tremendous teachers. I think that was it. My mom was a great teacher too, but not by profession. She was just a good mom. Everybody needs that these days, right?” she said.

Walker is encouraged when she sees her student’s growth.

“When they came to me, they were not speaking. We had daily tantrums because students who cannot communicate get frustrated, so the secret is to give them means of communication and then they are in control,” she said.