Sara Derus is currently a second grade teacher at an independent school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During her 14 years as an educator, she has taught kindergarten, first grade, and reading/math interventions. Sara received her bachelor’s degree in education and later went on to pursue a master’s degree in education, curriculum, and instruction. Several years after attending a Responsive Classroom workshop and implementing the practices in her classroom, she was moved to share the Responsive Classroom approach with other educators in the country. She has now been consulting part-time for Center for Responsive Schools for four years, and she is thrilled to be supporting educators around the world to make classrooms safe, fun, and engaging places where kids want to come every day. When Sara is not teaching or consulting, she can be found chasing around her two young boys, fostering puppies with her husband, and teaching barre fitness classes at a local gym.