Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #41 – February 27, 2010
This week we will read about our fourth and final candidate for National Teacher of the Year. Let’s continue our quest to find qualities great teachers have that mediocre teachers don't. What are the unique attributes that make these teachers truly outstanding? It is my hope that as we learn from “the best of the best,” we will find at least some of the connecting threads, binding certain qualities and beliefs into something that will clarify our understanding of what makes these individuals truly special and a cut above. Ideally, as we discover these threads, we will be motivated to take our teaching up to a higher level.
Our final candidate is Cynthia Cole Rigsbee.
Cynthia Cole Rigsbee-2009 North Carolina Teacher of the Year
Rigsbee is a sixth through eighth-grade reading teacher at Gravelly Hill Middle School in Efland, North Carolina. She has been an educator at Gravelly Hill, a school of 470 students, for the past three of her 21 years serving as a teacher.
"Teachers are professionals and our citizens need to be aware of the tremendous effort and purposeful thought that go into our jobs daily. And teachers need to better understand how to market themselves and their schools. Sure, attire is important for the "look" of a professional. But what we say when we are in the grocery store and around the neighborhood pool has a great deal of impact on how the public perceives us. Any negativity must stop at the schoolhouse door and be remedied in the important collaboration that occurs in Professional Learning Communities. And as we shift the thinking of others about what we do, eventually we'll influence the thinking of legislators and others who impact education policy."
Ms. Cole is a true professional and she urges all teachers to behave in like manner. Many teachers forget the fact their role in the community is similar to that of a preacher or even a city council member. Indeed, many parents and neighbors view teachers as opinion leaders and as cornerstones of the community. When teachers complain in public or make off-handed remarks about the “horrible kids” they have to deal with everyday, what message does that send to the neighbors? When teachers complain about the stupidity of their boss (the principal) or of the lack of equipment and the poor facilities they have to work with, what is the interpretation going on in the minds of those listening? Should teachers openly convey an attitude of bitterness and inability to cope? As Mary Engelbreit said, “If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. “ Teachers must promote themselves and their career as one of hard-working professionals full of hope and with a large dose of optimism. They alone have been given the wonderful opportunity to change the future for the better by molding one student at a time into the very best he or she can be. Only when teachers stop publicly behaving like disgruntled street urchins, and start behaving like professionals will they get the respect they deserve. Only then will legislators take teachers seriously and become advocates for public education. "People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Worship," The Conduct of Life, 1860
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Teacher of the Year Candidate #3
Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #40 – February 20, 2010
Welcome to week three of our review of nominees for National Teacher of the Year. With our attention focused on those attributes great teachers seem to wield that good teachers don't. I am pleased to introduce our next candidate for this prestigious honor.
Please meet Anthony Mullen, the third finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.
Anthony Mullen—2009 Connecticut Teacher of the Year
Mullen is a ninth through twelfth-grade special education teacher at ARCH School in Greenwich, Connecticut. He has taught at this school of 35 students for six of his seven years in the education profession.
"The greatest institution for social change is the school and the greatest instrument of change is the teacher. Schools are the catalyst for human progress because the dissemination of knowledge has created the world in which we live. Everything you see is the direct result of teachers spreading knowledge to vast amounts of people. The building you presently inhabit is a masterpiece of acquired knowledge: architecture, engineering, physics, chemistry, and the sum of skills and technologies taught in our schools. Your ability to read and write can be traced back to your first grade teacher and, no doubt, your professional success is equal in measure to the number of years spent in a classroom. Great societies have always valued education and understood the critical role schools and teachers play in the success or failure of its people."
Mr. Mullen’s statements are packed to the brim with powerful and thought-provoking words. How many of us have actually thought about the school’s role as the greatest agent “for social change,” and the teacher as “the greatest instrument of change?” These are two all encompassing and crucial components of our society, educators are responsible for. Yet, schools and teachers everywhere, every day, take on this challenge. Anthony takes us on a journey back in time, not only our own lifetime, but through the evolution of the great cultures and civilizations of our entire world. He reminds us that most of the knowledge used to create all the technological, scientific and artistic marvels throughout time have been the direct or indirect result of great teachers. Those of you able to read this and think about it right now, undoubtedly have a teacher to thank for that gift. How much greater could our community, our society at large, our country be, if our leaders recognized and supported the significant role teachers play in “the success or failure of its people?” I applaud Mr. Mullen’s advocacy of the teaching profession. It is because of teachers with his strength and vision, great things are still happening in our American free educational system for all.
"In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something else." — Lee Iacocca
Welcome to week three of our review of nominees for National Teacher of the Year. With our attention focused on those attributes great teachers seem to wield that good teachers don't. I am pleased to introduce our next candidate for this prestigious honor.
Please meet Anthony Mullen, the third finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.
Anthony Mullen—2009 Connecticut Teacher of the Year
Mullen is a ninth through twelfth-grade special education teacher at ARCH School in Greenwich, Connecticut. He has taught at this school of 35 students for six of his seven years in the education profession.
"The greatest institution for social change is the school and the greatest instrument of change is the teacher. Schools are the catalyst for human progress because the dissemination of knowledge has created the world in which we live. Everything you see is the direct result of teachers spreading knowledge to vast amounts of people. The building you presently inhabit is a masterpiece of acquired knowledge: architecture, engineering, physics, chemistry, and the sum of skills and technologies taught in our schools. Your ability to read and write can be traced back to your first grade teacher and, no doubt, your professional success is equal in measure to the number of years spent in a classroom. Great societies have always valued education and understood the critical role schools and teachers play in the success or failure of its people."
Mr. Mullen’s statements are packed to the brim with powerful and thought-provoking words. How many of us have actually thought about the school’s role as the greatest agent “for social change,” and the teacher as “the greatest instrument of change?” These are two all encompassing and crucial components of our society, educators are responsible for. Yet, schools and teachers everywhere, every day, take on this challenge. Anthony takes us on a journey back in time, not only our own lifetime, but through the evolution of the great cultures and civilizations of our entire world. He reminds us that most of the knowledge used to create all the technological, scientific and artistic marvels throughout time have been the direct or indirect result of great teachers. Those of you able to read this and think about it right now, undoubtedly have a teacher to thank for that gift. How much greater could our community, our society at large, our country be, if our leaders recognized and supported the significant role teachers play in “the success or failure of its people?” I applaud Mr. Mullen’s advocacy of the teaching profession. It is because of teachers with his strength and vision, great things are still happening in our American free educational system for all.
"In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something else." — Lee Iacocca
Saturday, February 13, 2010
WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER GREAT? Part II
Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #39 – February 13, 2010
As promised last week, we will continue our investigation as to what great teachers do that good teachers don't do. We will look at what sets these outstanding teachers apart from the rest.
This week we’ll be learning about our second candidate for the honor of receiving the "National Teacher of the Year" award. Let us continue to focus on the connecting threads binding certain qualities and beliefs into something that will clarify our understanding of what makes these individuals truly special and a cut above. Once again, it is my hope, as you discover these threads, you will be motivated to take your teaching up a level.
I am pleased to introduce the second finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.
Susan Elliott—2009 Colorado Teacher of the Year. Ms. Elliott is a ninth through twelfth grade English and social studies teacher at Highlands Ranch High School in Highland Ranch, Colorado. She has taught for 31 years, the last six at Highlands Ranch High School, which has 1,690 students.
"To meet students’ needs, teachers must seize every opportunity to continue their professional development, maximize our students' time, and cover the essentials of a guaranteed and viable curriculum. To do this we must make cross-curricular connections, use integrated technology, and protect our instructional time. We are on the front lines; we touch the future everyday in our classrooms. We must secure support from the media and policymakers at every level to create strong learning communities. Well-prepared teachers are the most valuable resource we can provide young people. Teachers have the power to positively influence student achievement in schools organized for success regardless of income, background or ethnic identity."
Ms. Elliot knows the significance continued and relevant professional development has for teachers. There are always new techniques and ideas to learn about that can make a huge difference in one’s teaching; and thus in the impact one will have on students. Susan demonstrates how much she values protecting each instructional minute. Each minute is important as the total minutes used wisely add up to many hours of important learning for our students, while wasted minutes add up to a huge disservice to them. By making cross-curricular connections, not only is she able to cover more than one subject area at a time, she is also showing students in real-time that in real life, many courses of study interact as we deal with them in our daily lives. Using integrated technology is a must in today’s cyber-world. Students must be proficient in computer skills, and using the Internet in any career path they wish to pursue. Gaining support from the media and policymakers is critical. We need some powerful forces such as Ms. Elliot to contact local media and “tell the story” of great things going on in the classroom. Susan is right in her statement, “ Well-prepared teachers are the most valuable resource we can provide young people.” She personally wants to give the very best she can in order to empower her students to be successful in life.
As promised last week, we will continue our investigation as to what great teachers do that good teachers don't do. We will look at what sets these outstanding teachers apart from the rest.
This week we’ll be learning about our second candidate for the honor of receiving the "National Teacher of the Year" award. Let us continue to focus on the connecting threads binding certain qualities and beliefs into something that will clarify our understanding of what makes these individuals truly special and a cut above. Once again, it is my hope, as you discover these threads, you will be motivated to take your teaching up a level.
I am pleased to introduce the second finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.
Susan Elliott—2009 Colorado Teacher of the Year. Ms. Elliott is a ninth through twelfth grade English and social studies teacher at Highlands Ranch High School in Highland Ranch, Colorado. She has taught for 31 years, the last six at Highlands Ranch High School, which has 1,690 students.
"To meet students’ needs, teachers must seize every opportunity to continue their professional development, maximize our students' time, and cover the essentials of a guaranteed and viable curriculum. To do this we must make cross-curricular connections, use integrated technology, and protect our instructional time. We are on the front lines; we touch the future everyday in our classrooms. We must secure support from the media and policymakers at every level to create strong learning communities. Well-prepared teachers are the most valuable resource we can provide young people. Teachers have the power to positively influence student achievement in schools organized for success regardless of income, background or ethnic identity."
Ms. Elliot knows the significance continued and relevant professional development has for teachers. There are always new techniques and ideas to learn about that can make a huge difference in one’s teaching; and thus in the impact one will have on students. Susan demonstrates how much she values protecting each instructional minute. Each minute is important as the total minutes used wisely add up to many hours of important learning for our students, while wasted minutes add up to a huge disservice to them. By making cross-curricular connections, not only is she able to cover more than one subject area at a time, she is also showing students in real-time that in real life, many courses of study interact as we deal with them in our daily lives. Using integrated technology is a must in today’s cyber-world. Students must be proficient in computer skills, and using the Internet in any career path they wish to pursue. Gaining support from the media and policymakers is critical. We need some powerful forces such as Ms. Elliot to contact local media and “tell the story” of great things going on in the classroom. Susan is right in her statement, “ Well-prepared teachers are the most valuable resource we can provide young people.” She personally wants to give the very best she can in order to empower her students to be successful in life.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER GREAT?
What Makes A Good Teacher Great?
What do great teachers do that good teachers don't do? What are the unique attributes that make them truly outstanding? Each week, for the next four weeks, we’re going to examine one recipient of the "National Teacher of the Year" award. As we do, I believe you will find the connecting threads binding certain qualities and beliefs into something that will clarify our understanding of what makes these individuals truly special and a cut above. It is my hope, as you discover these threads, you will be motivated to take your teaching up a level.
I am pleased to introduce the first finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.
Alex Kajitani—2009 California Teacher of the Year
Kajitani is an eighth grade mathematics teacher at Mission Middle School in Escondido, California. He has taught a total of nine years and been an educator at Mission, a school of 1,021 students, for four years.
"Teaching is not just what we do; it is what we are. We are a group of dedicated, passionate professionals who enter our classrooms each morning not only to teach our students about the world as it is, but for the world as it can be. We live on a planet shaped by war, hunger, disease, and the destruction of our environment. Yet we also live in a world in which we, as educators, can invoke in our students the determination and knowledge to create peace, equity, and compassion. As educators, we are not accomplishing this alone in our classrooms, standing in front of students and desks. By being teachers, and embodying the commitment that is inherent to living and working as teachers, we are inspiring, creating, and invoking in our students the pride and confidence to make this world a better place. Above all, we are doing it together."
This middle school math teacher is connecting the classroom with the world as it is. He embodies dedication, caring and determination, qualities many of his students will assimilate from his example. He is telling his students, they are the ones that can change it and he inspires them to eventually believe him. To equip them, he invokes pride and confidence, shows them the door and says, "I'm expecting great things from you. Go out there an do something great."
I’m going to continue digesting his powerful words and look forward to the additional insights we will review from the remaining three candidates.
I would love to receive your thoughts on each candidate.
What do great teachers do that good teachers don't do? What are the unique attributes that make them truly outstanding? Each week, for the next four weeks, we’re going to examine one recipient of the "National Teacher of the Year" award. As we do, I believe you will find the connecting threads binding certain qualities and beliefs into something that will clarify our understanding of what makes these individuals truly special and a cut above. It is my hope, as you discover these threads, you will be motivated to take your teaching up a level.
I am pleased to introduce the first finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.
Alex Kajitani—2009 California Teacher of the Year
Kajitani is an eighth grade mathematics teacher at Mission Middle School in Escondido, California. He has taught a total of nine years and been an educator at Mission, a school of 1,021 students, for four years.
"Teaching is not just what we do; it is what we are. We are a group of dedicated, passionate professionals who enter our classrooms each morning not only to teach our students about the world as it is, but for the world as it can be. We live on a planet shaped by war, hunger, disease, and the destruction of our environment. Yet we also live in a world in which we, as educators, can invoke in our students the determination and knowledge to create peace, equity, and compassion. As educators, we are not accomplishing this alone in our classrooms, standing in front of students and desks. By being teachers, and embodying the commitment that is inherent to living and working as teachers, we are inspiring, creating, and invoking in our students the pride and confidence to make this world a better place. Above all, we are doing it together."
This middle school math teacher is connecting the classroom with the world as it is. He embodies dedication, caring and determination, qualities many of his students will assimilate from his example. He is telling his students, they are the ones that can change it and he inspires them to eventually believe him. To equip them, he invokes pride and confidence, shows them the door and says, "I'm expecting great things from you. Go out there an do something great."
I’m going to continue digesting his powerful words and look forward to the additional insights we will review from the remaining three candidates.
I would love to receive your thoughts on each candidate.
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