Katherine Wright Knight
2003 Arkansas Teacher of the Year
Ms. Wright Knight teaches Art and Mythology to the students at Parkview Art/Science Magnet High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. She has been teaching for twenty-four years

What are your beliefs about teaching?
"It is my responsibility to ensure that every student in my class is engaged in learning activities that offer academic excellence, opportunity for personal fulfillment, and diverse ethnic, racial, and cultural experiences. Additionally, learning should engage the student, teacher and parents in collaborative endeavors that promote excellence and social growth."

How are your beliefs incorporated in your teaching style?
“I try very hard to make teaching skills and concepts relevant to students, their lives, interests and cultures. Our classroom is a collaborative, safe, nurturing environment where students are challenged to not only learn the content, but also to take risks and work for higher goals and greater achievement. It's an environment filled with humor, opportunity, creativity and challenges.”

What is your greatest teaching accomplishment?
"My greatest teaching accomplishment is when I can tell a student has mastered a concept from their writing or oral discussion – when the light bulb shines. Also, when former students return years later, as one did today, to thank me for preparing them for not just college but the future."

What's the most critical issue facing educators?
"No Child Left Behind (NCLB) or ESEA at this time is probably the greatest challenge facing education. Realizing the goal of teaching every child to mastery or proficiency is a challenge for many. I'm not one who believes that this is a challenge that cannot be realized. Financial support for public schools is also critically important. "

What do you think can be done to solve this issue?
"Ideally, schools should be restructured in a manner that will allow for maximum teaching and learning to occur. Some data and research-driven instruction will probably be required. Teachers who are better trained in teaching education programs should be hired and the parents and community must become allies in the learning process."

One thought to inspire teachers to excel
"Teachers will do whatever it takes for students to be successful because it is indeed the teacher who inspires and makes the difference."

One lesson every student should learn
“Tied closely together are two terms that are important to students – integrity and responsibility.”

Favorite Teaching Tool:
"Student Team Learning (Cooperative Learning), as a strategy for teaching literature and encouraging reading, is the best learning tool I use. The computer as a visual tool for writing, revision and for use with PowerPoint are great modern tools. Students, as engaged learners are a tool to successful teaching and learning."