Alumnus Roberto Rabelo honored as Miami-Dade Teacher of the Year

When Roberto Rabelo was named the 2027 Francisco R. Walker Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year, the honor was presented on his mother’s birthday — the very person who first inspired his love of education.

As a child, Rabelo watched his mom advocate for his brother, Lazaro, who survived a brain injury at birth. When doctors told her that Lazaro would never walk or talk, she refused to accept that diagnosis. Following his mother’s lead, Rabelo helped his brother through therapy. Today, Lazaro refers to his brother as his “Buddy” and credits him for his math skills.

That same perseverance fueled Rabelo's own education. After being told he wasn’t ready for college by his high school advisor, he looked for another path, first enrolling in Miami Dade College. He later transferred to FIU with his sights set on graduating with honors. He graduated in 1993 but missed the honors sash by a mere two-thousandths of a point. His father reminded him he didn't need a sash to validate his fight.

“FIU gave me the tools that I needed to be a teacher, but those two incidents have helped me be the motivating teacher I am,” Rabelo said.

Somewhere in the middle of his academic journey, he was diagnosed with ADHD.

“I’ve used every challenge in my life and every obstacle,” said Rabelo. “It was a blessing not knowing I had ADHD. I just figured I had to work harder. The challenges I faced and the strategies I had to come up with to overcome them, are what makes me the educator I am today.”

During his first year as a teacher, Rabelo was awarded the Rookie Teacher of the Year. He’s never looked back. He has spent the past 22 years of his 37-year career at South Miami Middle School instilling a limitless mindset in his students.

The idea that anyone could be limitless is something Rabelo incorporates into his daily lessons. He has tagged the students’ desks with a sharpie to remind them of their daily manifestations. He begins each class with a set of mantras:

“Do what others won’t.”
“I am limitless.”
“Believe in Best Outcomes.”
“The EOC is easy.” (Referring to Florida’s End of Course assessment)
“I’m getting a five.” (Referring to the highest possible score on the EOC)
“Just one more.”
“Be better tomorrow.”

The EOC is there because a lot of kids hear those letters and their anxiety rises, he explained. When students repeat for 175 days that the test is easy, by the time it rolls around, he believes it helps alleviate their anxiety.

He also modified the viral “six/seven” hand motion among the teens, which doesn’t have any real meaning, to “four/three,” where students place their hand over their heart showing four fingers, then three, signifying the letters in “love you” to address bullying. Rabelo believes that the usage of simple, repetitive messages helps instill positive thinking in his students.

During his time at FIU, he credits the personal attention and supportive teachers to his approach to education.

“My teachers were very supportive. I was already a dad, I went from class to my job, to my second job. It was challenging; I learned to harness a lot of my skills regarding time management and executive function,” Rabelo said.

Rabelo’s classroom management is built around movement, using kinesthetic learning to keep students active and engaged. His approach is so effective that students often arrive to class early, giving him extra teaching time. Often when he finds a few extra minutes in class, he excites the kids by asking, “Who wants to learn about money?” During these moments, he leans into teaching them practical life lessons focusing on financial literacy, delayed gratification, and compound interest.

Every morning around 4:30 a.m. he messages parents to inform them of what their child will be learning that day, encouraging them to continue the conversations at home.

Rabelo doesn’t only leave his imprint on his students but his community as well, working on initiatives including Blankets for the Homeless and Step Up. His Teacher of the Year recognition is validation of his lifetime commitment to education and service.

“Everything starts with faith,” he said. “I pray he gives me the thoughts, ideas and words to inspire them. I’d like the students to remember what the experience in my class made them feel — to feel limitless, to believe in best outcomes, and to know if they’re willing to do what others won’t, the world is theirs.”

He plans to use his platform to focus on social, emotional, and mental health in teaching, which he would like to incorporate in universities, while also advocating for teachers. Additionally, he would like to dedicate three years to “rewiring” elementary students to incorporate positive thinking using manifestations, so when they enter middle school, they understand that changing their perception, is how they change their reality.