Paul McLaughlin
California Teacher of the Year
Suzanne Middle School, Walnut, CA
Grade 8, Algebra and Geometry

My teaching philosophy
All students have the ability and desire to achieve. Teachers have a responsibility to translate an essential body of knowledge to impact the lives of all students. To accomplish this goal requires three attributes; knowledge, commitment, and love. Knowledge comes from experience and a desire to be a life-long learner. Commitment means we give our greatest gift to kids--our time. Teaching is more about the heart than the head. If you don't love the students and put them first, your efforts will be half-hearted.

My philosophy in action
I am a great collaborator. Working with a team of teachers serves the best interests of their students and has an exponential impact on the abilities of the teachers to enhance the educational experiences of their students. My commitment to students is evident in the way I interact with them, their willingness to open up to me, and their achievement in my classroom. I model my commitment to life-long learning by risking, by expanding my craft on a regular basis. We learn together.

My greatest teaching accomplishment
I have made impacts on humans at the most critical and often most painful points in their lives. Middle school is a time of turmoil and daily crisis. Students need someone to listen to them and not judge, counsel not condemn, love not reject, inspire by example not preach. When my students visit me and relate their successes, I know I am achieving.

The most critical issue facing educators today
In his book Good To Great, Jim Collins states; "...the most important thing is to get the right people on the bus." This is also true of education. Most studies agree that the most important factor affecting the ability of students to master academic standards is the quality of instruction. Teachers make the difference. We face a critical shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in inner city schools. More than 25% leave the profession after less than five years (inner city schools is closer to 50%). If quality instruction is the cornerstone of education, then sporadic teacher shortages and attrition represent a crisis.

Ways to resolve this issue
Schools need consistent funding. I don't advocate high teacher salaries as a means of recruitment; that would lead more into teaching but the commitment would not necessarily be there. However, seeing schools perpetually in the news for underfunding creates a very negative image. Children in portable classrooms speaks volumes; would you put your money in a portable bank building? We need to change the image of teachers in the media. We must recruit good teachers, redirect weak ones, and support beginning teachers with energetic mentors. Teachers need professional planning time to spend with their peers. We must facilitate both vertical and horizontal collaboration. We lose a wealth of wisdom and experience when great teachers slip off into retirement.

One thought to inspire other teachers to succeed
Can you remember the name of Miss Universe last year. How about the MVP of the Superbowl; or the Oscar winner for best actor? If you're like me, I can't even remember a Nobel Peace prize winner from last year. However, I bet you can recall the names of five or ten teachers who impacted your lives. Teachers are the true action heroes in this world.

One lesson every student should learn
To see the beauty of mathematics. As Bertrand Russell wrote, "Mathematics possesses not only truth but supreme beauty, a beauty cold and austere, like that of a sculpture, sublimely pure and capable of a stern perfection, such that only the greatest art can show." If all students appreciate the beauty of math, learning it would be as risk free as an art class.

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