Cindy Ball
Oklahoma Teacher of the Year
Sadler Arts Academy, Muskogee, OK
Grade 4, all subjects

My teaching philosophy
I believe that all children are entitled to a quality education--not just children from a certain social strata--not just children who are well-behaved and easy to teach--not just children who come from loving, supportive families. I truly believe that all children can succeed given appropriate opportunities. As a public school educator, it is not only my responsibility to see that it happens, it is my honor and privilege to do everything I can to better serve my students.

Teaching gives my life a tremendous sense of purpose. It provides me with a sense of mission. Whether it is going on a monthly visit to a local assisted living center or discussing civil rights and marching with my students in the annual Martin Luther King Parade, I feel that sense of mission.

My commitment to my students provides opportunities where they can achieve academic success and substantially improve their self-esteem while developing a love of learning, an appreciation of the arts, and a desire for community service. My students know they are respected, loved, and empowered and they know that I consider it an honor to be their teacher.

My philosophy in action
Nearly nine years ago I returned to the classroom and found myself completely changing my style of teaching. I no longer use textbooks, except as resource materials. I now believe textbooks should not define the curriculum, instead they should enhance it. I'm an advocate of student-centered, experiential education where higher-order thinking skills are developed, holistic learning takes place, and authentic assessment is used.

My school's focus is on teaching all subjects through an integrated arts format. We believe that teaching through the arts affects all modalities of learning and we’ve seen that it has been successfully implemented in other schools.

My greatest teaching accomplishment
Through the years I have come to realize the best moments of my teaching career are the little moments. It's the smile on a child's face when they have a sense of accomplishment. It's the student's silent hug that speaks a thousand words. It's the heartfelt thanks from a parent who lets me know I've made a difference. It's the sweet note from a student that has been secretly placed on my desk. It's the hugs in the hallway from former students who have fond memories of times spent in my class. It's the flower I recently received at a former student's high school commencement thanking me for being a significant person in her life. Those are the moments I live for as a teacher.

During the past two years I have received more professional recognition than I ever dared imagine. Prior to becoming Oklahoma's 2003-2004 Teacher of the Year, I was the 2003 National Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year as well as the 2002 Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence Elementary Teacher of the Year.

While my past recognitions were wonderful honors, I can honestly say my greatest accomplishment is making a difference in the life of a child. People will forget my awards, but having a positive impact on a young person's life can affect them for years to come. Long after my plaques and trophies have tarnished and lost their luster, I'll have the satisfaction of knowing I made a difference in the lives of my former students. Those are the rewards that truly count.

The most critical issue facing educators today
One of the most critical, in my opinion, is our nation's current preoccupation with determining a student's merit (or teacher's merit, for that matter) based on isolated standardized test scores. There's so much more to a quality education than that which can be measured by a standardized test. We're looking for an easy way out to measure academic accountability. The true picture of the quality of a student's instruction and/or academic standing can not be adequately assessed using such a "snapshot" of their learning.

Ways to resolve this issue
Continued lobbying and education of elected officials (and bureaucrats) at the local, state, and national level. Doing whatever it takes to help the educational political pendulum come back to the center. We need a balance between the science of teaching and the art of teaching.

One thought to inspire educators to succeed
Mediocrity is unacceptable when it comes to our students' welfare. We owe them nothing less than our best.

One Lesson every student should learn
One of life's greatest blessings is being of service to others.

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