Carol T. Hines
2003 Nevada Teacher of the Year
Ms. Hines has been teaching students Social Studies for fifteen years. She currently teaches seventh grade students at Darrel C. Swope Middle School in Reno, Nevada.

What are your beliefs about teaching?
“I view teaching as collaboration among students, parents and me. We focus on academic pursuits and social growth as a community, ready to collaborate and learn together. The Social Studies autobiography my students write opens a dialogue about the role Social Studies plays in their life. Students need to learn assertiveness while finding their voice and how to self-advocate. I encourage students to appreciate the process of learning, not just the result. I encourage students to embrace the exhilaration of trying something new. I am a facilitator in the classroom providing engaging, focused and tangible learning opportunities.

I feel I offer students a new and rigorous perspective on learning that addresses individual needs, as they travel through my classroom and curriculum on the path to their future. It's a journey we travel together, sharing, and learning from each other, emphasizing personal strengths and working on areas that need improvement. We are not a class of solo acts, but a choir, working in unison and harmony, teaching to and learning from each other, as we weave our way through academic tunes. If we sometimes sound a bit off-key, that's okay, as the cacophony of learning is the true symphony of the classroom.”

How are your beliefs incorporated in your teaching style?
“Middle school is often a difficult time for parents, so I created a Parent Packet they keep for reference, that answers questions middle school parents ask. Parents also write me a letter telling me about their child's strengths, interests, and areas that need assistance. The anecdotes and insights help us get acquainted on the fast track. Students use their voice through petition to make changes, demonstrating they are empowered to use the political process we study. Students have the option of using my project ideas or creating their own, which allows them to present their strengths and talents, while demonstrating their learning of our curriculum. Students think about their learning doing Reflective Portfolio Assessment (RPA), enabling them to evaluate their strengths and see where they need improvement. Parents too, provide input on the RPA. Students evaluate me at the end of each thematic unit. Their input is one vehicle I use for reflecting and improving my teaching practice to meet the needs and learning styles of all students.”

What is your greatest teaching accomplishment?
“I want students engaged in the learning process, curious about how or what I am planning next, and empowered to take chances, to ride that envelope, risk getting that paper cut, but make a difference. I model this belief when I look for a hook, and like a fisherwoman, cast it out and lure students in for another round of learning. When it's a great hook, like using Junkyard Wars as the Foundation for my mini-invention unit, and calling it Schoolyard Wars, WOW! I was truly overwhelmed by the response. Using teamwork, 100% of my students planned, strategized, cooperated, built and competed; high achievers, low achievers and special needs students were all engaged and enthusiastic. It was awesome. Many weren't familiar with the program, so I showed them one I taped on Hovercraft. When I asked what they learned, they ALL responded, ‘You need team work, you need a plan, you have to cooperate.’ This is what I had hoped for, but I really had expected to hear them say it was a neat program. Schoolyard Wars hooked everyone, even students not in my class. That's engagement! It's gratifying when you are able to motivate and inspire students to action.”

What's the most critical issue facing educators?
“Teacher retention and academic rigor are two issues, but I feel the most critical issue is ‘Recycling Our Disposable Students.’ I coined this term to describe children who slip through the cracks. My goal and passion is to recycle the students caught in the learning gap between high and low achievers, and to offer them, and all children, equal opportunity to achieve the goals they map for themselves. Some colleagues are putoff by my descriptor, but what is really offensive is the loss of learning opportunities for these children. Excuses include socio-economic status, parents, language, culture, ethnicity, environment, medical issues, and so on. But excuses don't create change; they merely promote the status quo. We cannot continue to ignore a segment of our population. Our excuses ring hollow for why these children fail to achieve. “

What do you think can be done to solve this issue?
“We must take responsibility and correct injustices to these children. We must address the learning gap and those conditions outside of school, which impact children, must be remediated during our school day. Three things influence students learning: teachers, training, and time. Teachers need time to collaborate, plan and improve pedagogy that impacts students’ learning. Curriculum decisions need to be data-driven to best meet the needs of all learners. Research shows that if students never see what excellence looks like, never hear what excellence sounds like, they cannot achieve at higher levels. All children deserve to hear and see excellence and realize their potential. We must raise the learning legacy of the children left behind from mediocre to proficient. If it's good enough for some of our students, it's good enough for all of our students! If our disposable students don't receive rigorous courses and equal enrichment, the research shows they will never catch up! We must recycle our disposable students! We have an obligation as educators to guide our students into becoming productive citizens. A monetary investment in the education of America's children reaps dividends in their future, which is our future, too.”

One thought to inspire teachers to excel
“All children deserve the best teacher we each can be, a rigorous curriculum to prepare them for their future, and the opportunity to achieve their potential, no matter how much time passes for them to accomplish this outcome. We must make the time to Recycle our Disposable Students, and lift them out of that chasm to a successful future. We are their hope. We are their future. We are their dream maker. Let us all strive to be the last teacher described by William Arthur Ward when he said, ‘The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.’ We can all name teachers who have been our inspiration; let's reciprocate for the children we reach out to and teach.”

One lesson every student should learn
“As Americans, we are the political process. Our voice determines our future. Students need to learn to use their voice; it's their future. It's our future.”

Favorite Teaching Tool:
“I use Microsoft Power Point presentations, projects, discourse, thematic units, writing, reflection, and hands-on hooks to acquire and maintain student engagement. The SMART Board interactive whiteboard will be an exciting addition to my teaching practice.”

Favorite Web site:
www.si.edu – Smithsonian Institute
www.americanhistory.si.edu – American History from the Smithsonian Institute