How calculus inspires National Teacher of the Year to find the good in hard times

Editor's note: This segment was rebroadcast on Sept. 4, 2023. Click here for that audio.

High school teacher Rebecka Peterson recognizes that it's rare for students to be taught by a biracial, bilingual female in mathematics.

That's one reason why — as Oklahoma's Teacher of the Year, and now National Teacher of the Year — she's lifting up her identity as a Swedish-Iranian immigrant.

Peterson tells Here & Now's Deepa Fernandes about how she's using her moment in the spotlight to help fellow teachers struggling through unprecedented challenges find the good in each day.