Rhonda D. McGlinn
Nevada Teacher of the Year
Ted Hunsberger Elementary, Reno, NV
Grade 1/2, all subjects

My teaching philosophy
I've had many interesting job experiences. Teaching is without a doubt the most difficult profession I have experienced, but also the most rewarding. I work with young children who love to learn about the mysteries of the world and have a great desire to become readers. There is nothing that compares to seeing your students reach and attain that "aha" moment. I believe that classroom teachers are the single most important factor in a child's success or failure in our schools. I am dedicated to understanding and meeting the needs of my students. I feel it is important to create a safe, caring, and intellectually stimulating and engaging environment. Young children have ample opportunities in my classroom to develop as thinkers through explorations, investigations, cooperating, and communicating with their peers. Teaching should build on the curiosity, imagination, and creativity of the student in order to help them construct complex ideas, see relationships, and establish connections in the various disciplines.

My philosophy in action
I believe teachers should be excellent communicators and model thinking, questioning, problem solving techniques, and deep reflection. It's important to challenge children and still be aware and sensitive to refraining from overwhelming the young learners. I promote independence and risk-taking in each child with goals in mind of enhancing their confidence and self-respect along with new knowledge. Teaching requires me to make constant adjustments through the year based upon on-going assessments. We all have strengths in specific learning modalities and it is important to be aware of your students' learning styles, offering lessons that insure success for all types of learners. My lessons and units take into account the prior knowledge that every child brings with them. Most importantly I am analyzing and evaluating daily my successes and problems in this profession. Reflection is key to my responsibility of being the very best that I can be.

My greatest teaching accomplishment
As a 1st/2nd-grade teacher for 12 years, I believe one of my greatest contributions is that I have had every single student leave my classroom as a reader. Children come to me from all backgrounds and abilities, some already reading and others not even knowing what a letter is. My job is a personal challenge to insure success for each and every one of my students. I see each of my students as a unique and special person with varied learning styles, gifts, and challenges. I'm dedicated to making reading accessible to all students because all can learn.

I have recently received National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification. It is probably to date one of the most challenging endeavors I have pursued. I established high and rigorous standards for myself on a daily basis. That motivation and determination has stayed with me in all things I do.

I have also received the very distinguished honor of being the only Nevadan to receive the Presidential Award for excellence in Math and Science Teaching in 2003. I'm certainly proud of this achievement but am quite humbled by the award and experience of meeting other outstanding educators in our country.

The most critical issue facing educators today
Without a doubt the one education issue of the day that impacts all of us from early childhood to adult education is "No Child Left Behind", House Resolution 1. For the first time in years our government is stating that it is a national crisis and we must put forth efforts to ensure that all children by third grade will be reading at or above grade level. The inability to read at grade level has had multiple reasons addressed and blame issued forth for decades. The National Reading Panel focused on methodologies that are quantitatively measurable and replicable and indicated effective approaches that were ready for application in classroom settings. Teachers can effectively build knowledge base through professional development.

Ways to resolve this issue
Continued efforts should be made to research how and what type of professional development for teachers directly effects student learning. This along with other major public education issues today seem to be surrounded by the lack of funding. We must all work cooperatively, public and private sectors, to come up with new and unique resources in order to protect the quality of education we need for our children.

One thought to inspire other teachers to succeed
You hold the most powerful job on earth. What other profession do you know of that impacts our very future other than teaching. There are other cultures that believe a teacher is one level above the Emperor, we should believe that about ourselves each and every day.

One lesson every student should learn
Every student should know that it is imperative to do his/her very best in all tasks and to be proud of their efforts.

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