For Dr. Michelle Singh, teaching has always been more than lesson plans and standards. It has been about restoration, identity, and belonging.
“I was never taught that one day I’d become the kind of teacher who helps other teachers heal,” she reflects. “But my journey led me beyond instruction into creating spaces where educators can unlearn perfectionism, reclaim rest, and teach from a place of wholeness.”
A Journey Shaped by Experience
As a Jamaican immigrant navigating a new culture and language at nine years old, Dr. Singh knows firsthand what it feels like to be invisible in the classroom. Small but powerful moments, a teacher pronouncing her name correctly, celebrating her customs, or encouraging her writing, affirmed her identity and changed her trajectory.
“I carry those teachers with me,” she shares. “I became a teacher to multiply their impact, to ensure more students feel seen, heard, and held.”
Her experiences not only shaped the way she taught Secondary English Language Arts, including AP Language and Composition, but also how she leads educators today.
Culturally Responsive Teaching in Action
One of her most unforgettable teaching memories came while guiding students through Their Eyes Were Watching God. For Dr. Singh, Zora Neale Hurston’s work wasn’t part of her own schooling. She only discovered it in college. Introducing the text to her students felt like reclaiming something.
She didn’t stop at the classroom. She took her students to Eatonville, Florida, Hurston’s hometown, during the Zora Neale Hurston Festival. They walked the same streets Hurston once did, celebrated cultural pride, and even heard Ruby Dee speak on stage.
“That experience reminded me why culturally responsive teaching is not optional, it’s essential,” she says. “When students see themselves reflected in the curriculum, we do more than teach, we affirm.”
The Work of Restoration
Today, Dr. Singh’s influence reaches far beyond her own classroom. She leads professional development, mentors emerging educators, and designs curriculum centered on identity, equity, and joy.
She describes her philosophy simply:
“Education gave me my voice. It taught me how to reclaim my story, and now I help others do the same. I didn’t come just to teach content, I came to create belonging, to nurture brilliance, and to remind students and teachers that their voices matter deeply.”
Finding Belonging in KDP
Serving on the KDP National Board has been a powerful affirmation of her mission.
“As a woman of color and a leader in education, KDP has provided a space where I don’t have to explain why equity, voice, and belonging matter. They are already part of the foundation. Through board service, connections, and conversations, I’ve been reminded that I don’t have to carry the weight of this work alone.”
For Dr. Singh, this community affirms her deepest belief:
“When educators are seen, supported, and celebrated, they lead with more clarity, courage, and compassion.”
Teaching as a Calling
Though her role has evolved from classroom teacher to global education leader, Dr. Singh’s “why” has never changed.
“I’m still leading. Still creating. Still teaching. Still learning. Still lifting others,” she says. “Because teaching is more than a job. It’s a calling. And for me, it’s personal.”