Former Dallas ISD teacher-turned-entrepreneur is a real-life example for her students.

Former Dallas ISD teacher-turned-entrepreneur is a real-life example for her students.

Former Dallas ISD school teacher, Rachel Edwards’s creativity is inspiring students across DFW.

When students resumed classes today, some walked into the classes designed by their former teacher.

“It feels a little weird not teaching,” former Dallas ISD teacher Rachel Edwards said. “Just staple, staple, staple!”

Edwards left her job when she taught 4th-grade math at Ronald E. McNair Elementary School. She left her teaching job to start her own business of decorating classrooms.

“So, a lot of people used to volunteer, just pay me to do their classrooms when I was a teacher,” Edwards said. “So, I was just like, ‘you know what? I could start a business out of this!'”

This led to the birth of Classroom Bloom. “Taking your class from gloom to bloom,” Edwards said, laughing.

Last year, Edwards got seven classrooms for decoration. This year she has 20. Some of them are from her old school.

Edwards said, “My old students, they saw me coming down the hallway. So they’re all running up to me, ‘hey, Miss Edwards!'”

Edwards says decorating a classroom is more than just making it look nice.

“It has a lot to do with learning,” Edwards said. “An engaging environment helps students focus more.”

She is no longer a teacher, but Edwards still teaches students by her example.

“It can help them to be brave and to step out and try anything they put their minds to,” Edwards said. “Just try. Try new things.”