2001 Vermont Teacher of the Year
Ms. Forman teaches history to students in grades nine through twelve at Middlebury Union High School in Middlebury, Vermont. She has been teaching for twenty-three years.

What are your beliefs about teaching?
"I strongly believe that all students can learn. Learning in any classroom is enriched for all students when learners bring their different experiences, perspectives and skills to the group. We should not segregate students by a perceived inability to learn. I further believe that all students should learn to see themselves and function as citizens of the world, with all that it entails."

How are your beliefs incorporated in your teaching style?
"In designing my course, I use a variety of approaches so that each student can successfully master the content and skills, and I plan for extra support as needed. For the past ten years, I have advocated for and taught classes grouped heterogeneously by perceived ability. These classes, coupled with numerous support strategies both in and outside of class, ensure that each student can achieve success.

What is your greatest teaching accomplishment?
"My greatest contributions and accomplishments include my efforts to ensure that all students do learn. My on-going efforts to improve as a teacher led me to apply for certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in the first year it was offered in my field. Through a five-month process of analysis of my students' learning and my own practice, I grew as a teacher. I passed the certification with high scores, but more importantly, I internalized habits of reflection that will aid me through the rest of my career."

What's the most critical issue facing educators today and what do you think can be done to resolve this issue?
"Nationally, we must stop the hemorrhage of new teachers leaving the classroom now. We must develop, expand and support mentoring programs. We must meet the special needs of beginning teachers. Further, we must recruit more teachers. We must promote awareness of how important teaching is. An important part of the solution is to raise the standards that teachers must meet. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has given us an excellent model for assessing teachers in a meaningful and fair way. How can we hope to meet higher standards for students' learning if we do not help teachers themselves meet higher standards?"

Inspirational thought:
"Every young person can learn. Think of what that means. If we are willing to set high standards for all students (leaving no one out) to invest in each student, to support each one to the degree to which he needs support, think of the potential. How can we, as a society, not be willing to do that?"