Michael F. Dwyer
Vermont Teacher of the Year
Otter Valley Union High School, Brandon, Vermont
Grades 9-12, Social Studies and English

My teaching philosophy
Over the last twenty years, I have been asked many times to articulate a philosophy of education. I believe it is a worthwhile task to complete each time because, for me, unreflective teaching practice is not worth doing. Of course, I want my students to be perceptive readers, critical thinkers, persuasive speakers, cooperative players, and responsible citizens. Today’s students also need to use appropriate technology. One of the most measurable ways my teaching practice has changed is in planning for and facilitating a more student-centered classroom. My preparation time has increased so that students have greater opportunities to become more active, hands-on practitioners. Learning is a partnership in which I work collaboratively with students, acting as a catalyst, getting them to go to places that they might not get to on their own. In all my classes, I strive for students to see the connection between the past and the present. The knowledge we discover together and the skills we hone all have applications outside the classroom.

My philosophy in action
The strongest way that I convey my values as an educator is through practicing what I preach. My students know that I am a voracious reader of non-fiction and fiction and that I am a researcher of both personal and community history. They know I have a strong work ethic – that translates into designing innovative lessons for them that go beyond the textbook, and it also means returning homework, quizzes, tests, and papers in a timely way with quality feedback. I teach with heart, passion, energy, and vigor. My students know when I am excited about teaching and learning. Interdisciplinary learning forms the core of how I embrace the pursuit of knowledge. Whenever possible, my students experience the interplay of art, music, history, and literature often culminating in the act of reflective writing.

Students in my classroom know that they are respected, challenged, and valued. They cannot sit by the sidelines as passive spectators. They know they are going to be engaged in learning. Ideally, I would like to hear from every student every day. Students entering my classroom also know they will be doing a variety of activities during the block schedule. I also try to create an environment that celebrates and displays their work. It is important to add that we have some fun in the process.

My greatest teaching accomplishment
The accomplishment for which I am most proud is my battle for and achievement of greater academic equity for all students in my school. I believe that some past tracking practices have done lasting damage to students. When I assumed the helm of my present school's Social Studies Department, I was horrified to learn that "general track" students had no world history taught in high school. Instead, students experienced a watered-down, content-poor curriculum that was deemed appropriate for their perceived place in society.

I worked with a core of teachers to implement heterogeneous grouping in social studies for 9th grade, as well as to build a more meaningful core curriculum for all students. Knowing that all 9th grade students experience a provocative unit on the Holocaust and read Elie Wiesel's Night has brought me satisfaction that we are moving towards academic equity.

The most critical issue facing educators today
I believe one of the critical education issues today concerns the profession of teaching. Nationwide, we are a graying profession. Every year more of my colleagues retire. While in some areas of the country, there is a pool of qualified applicants, in disciplines like world languages; we find difficulty in replacing those who have given decades of service. One of our paradoxes is that at the same time we insist on higher standards for incoming educators, we have fewer applicants.

Lack of competitive salaries are not the only deterrent for prospective educators, there are also some perception problems. While it may not have been the intent of No Child Left Behind to create a climate of fear among teachers, the punitive aspects of the law have created apprehension among people considering teaching as a profession. Public educators sometimes get blamed for a variety of societal woes. A negative and politically charged atmosphere does not promote a climate conducive for new teachers.

Ways to resolve this issue
We need to do more to attract highly qualified people to the profession. Our ranks can be filled with non-traditional students, women and men who may want a career change to a job of service that is ultimately more challenging and rewarding. We have the potential to infuse the profession with candidates with strong academic backgrounds and possess the desire to work with young people. This vision can be achieved only with a more universal definition of a prospective teacher. Training programs also need to have financial incentives that would allow new teachers to begin with careers without crippling debt. Several recent teachers I have mentored all fit into the category of non-traditional students. They have made wonderful educators who bring fresh and valuable perspectives to the lives of their students.

One thought to inspire other teachers to succeed
Sometimes what we consider of lesser importance to the primary lesson becomes of far greater value long after the primary lesson has been forgotten.

One lesson every student should learn
Every student should learn that the past provides answers to the present. A knowledge of history allows full access to a nation's culture.

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