Tammy Rickard
Alabama Teacher of the Year
Spain Park High School, Hoover, AL
Grades 9-12, AP Biology

My teaching philosophy
It has been said that those who can, do. And that those who cannot, teach. It is my belief that teachers not only can, but can do well. Furthermore, educators have a passion to teach so that others can do as well. In monetary terms, perhaps society does not place the greatest value on the teaching profession. However, I believe teaching is an exceptionally honorable and rewarding profession, a vocation that allows me to make a difference in the lives of the students that I teach and in the community where I live.

Outstanding teachers have high expectations. They believe that no one excels, given low expectations. Teachers’ expectations are not the same for all students – but they expect every student to achieve. My daily goal is to be a better teacher than I was the day before. That attitude is contagious. It raises the level of expectation and performance of my students and my colleagues. Striving for excellence is a signature characteristic of outstanding educators and is the attribute that they most desire to pass to each student.

Quality teaching requires vision. Visionary teachers can clearly see where they want to take students and know the best ways to get them there. My education, experience and knowledge of teenagers allow me to envision what I want my students to accomplish. My knowledge of research-based teaching practices helps me to guide them to that goal.

The vision of outstanding teachers transcends the school year, their subject, and the walls of the classroom. They realize that they do not just teach a subject – but that they teach individual students. The goal of an outstanding educator is to equip each student with the skills, thought processes, and knowledge that are critical to live a productive and fulfilling life. One year a student wrote to me, “You have taught me a lot about life this year – some of it has even been biology.” As a teacher, I feel that is the ultimate compliment!

Outstanding teachers model the behaviors they desire from their students. They are respectful. They appreciate and embrace diversity. They come to class prepared. They are dependable. They are kind and compassionate. They are fair and forgiving. They are enthusiastic, lifelong learners. For many students, a teacher may be one of the only adults in their lives who possesses these positive attributes. It is no surprise that individuals, even famous and highly successful ones, will often cite a teacher as their greatest positive influence. My influence is my legacy. I take that privilege and responsibility most seriously. My students learn biology; but, equally as important, they learn it in an environment where diverse individuals respect each other and work collaboratively to accomplish common goals. There is no greater life lesson to learn or be taught.

My philosophy in action
My beliefs regarding outstanding teaching are reflected in my personal teaching style. From the very first day, I inform students of my social, academic, and behavioral expectations for them. I also tell them what they can expect from me, and make sure that I live up to those expectations. Nothing is easy in my classroom. I help students achieve challenging expectations. I both encourage and enable them to see what they are capable of achieving, individually. I agree with Albert Einstein, who said: “The value of the achievement is in the achieving.” I know that true self-esteem is built from working hard and attaining personal goals. I help my students taste that character-building success.

I have a clear vision of the skills and content I want my students to master. I have specifically designed my biology course around five main ideas that minimize the factual knowledge and maximize students’ conceptual understanding. Fewer topics are taught, but deeper understanding of the major ideas is emphasized. Students are continually challenged to connect what they learn to what they know. I begin with biodiversity. While the study of organisms is traditionally at the end of a biology course, I have found that my students are most often interested in nature’s “critters.” I use this unit to engage even my lowest-achieving students by relating to their familiar experiences and interests. We then logically move to what all those “critters” have in common – cells, interdependence, heredity and adaptation. Within each of these units, I have designed learning activities to help reach the spectrum of learners in my class. My students cut, paste, draw on butcher paper, work with molecular models, use microscopes, and design and conduct their own experiments. My classroom is a busy place as students collaborate on group projects and discuss individual data and biological issues. I know that student learning is directly proportional to student engagement. “Sitting and soaking” is not allowed in my classroom!

I also use my biology course to teach students about real life. For example, when I teach about the interdependence of organisms, we talk about our dependence on other members of our family, school, community, society and environment. I want them to know a basic life rule – that the decisions they make always affect others, either positively or negatively. Of all the symbiotic relationships in nature, mutualism is the most productive. Because these teens are prey to peer pressure, I talk to them about fostering mutualistic personal relationships, where both members benefit and are enriched from the relationship. The study of DNA and genetics give me a perfect opportunity to talk about the minute, almost non-existent, biological differences between people. I encourage students to focus on our extensive commonalities rather than our few differences. As we study energy flow, I remind them that energy input must always exceed energy output. All processes are inefficient. They should always expect to put more into life than they get out of it. Finally, the natural beauty of things such as a flower, the Grand Canyon or the peacock’s tail is the result of millions of years of refinement. Things of great beauty and/or purpose do not come about overnight. A life of beauty and purpose requires a lot of trial and error and a lot of work. However, those who are successful in their pursuit can pass their wisdom on to the next generation.

My greatest teaching accomplishment
I consider my greatest contributions in education to be those activities that have allowed me to challenge and inspire colleagues to sharpen their teaching skills. Because my daily teaching practice is a collage of the best practices from teachers who’ve taught me, my local colleagues, and teachers who have published their ideas, I am fully committed to be a resource to other teachers. I know that by helping, equipping, and encouraging other teachers, I am able to touch students that I will never see!

I have had the opportunity to share ideas with teachers throughout the state and even the nation as a presenter at district, state, and national meetings. I have been able to teach and to learn from graduate students in scientific methodology courses. For four years, I have explored the concept of “accomplished teaching” with National Board candidates as I mentor them throughout the rigorous assessment. However, I consider my leadership role at my school my most valuable contribution to education. I have organized and facilitated collaborative sessions among teachers to discuss such issues as curriculum, inquiry, assessment, educational technology, etc.

In the beginning, teachers were hesitant and somewhat resistant to collaborative lesson planning. But I am proud to say that, currently, collaborative planning is a daily part of our work in the science department at Spain Park High School. In planned meetings, in the hall, and at the lunch table we discuss issues related to our teaching practice. This collaborative dialogue is now commonplace and has resulted in creative student-centered lessons that focus on one primary goal – to increase student learning.

I also have contributed to the teaching profession through my work with intern and preservice teachers. I regularly have intern teachers in my classroom to help them establish a firm foundation for their teaching career. I have had the opportunity to mentor many first-year and novice teachers and see them blossom into mature, outstanding classroom educators. Last summer, I organized 13 years worth of my biology resources onto a CD-ROM that I have shared with many first-year teachers. I know that quality teachers are fundamental in helping students succeed. While I can directly impact the students that I teach, I can indirectly impact an exponential number of students by helping their teachers! I can think of no better way to contribute to the educational process.

I am a teacher because I believe in and am proud of what I do. I am fortunate to be a resource for teachers in my school, in my district, in the university classes I facilitate and in many other places in the state. I possess a contagious enthusiasm for the teaching profession, and I contribute to the success of my profession by sharing my zeal and my experience with my colleagues.

I have set many goals for myself as a teacher, and I have been fortunate to accomplish many of them. The personal accomplishment that I am most proud of is my certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Before the National Board Certification process, I had never thoroughly scrutinized my own teaching practice – I didn’t even realize that I had a practice. The certification process required that I take my teaching practice apart, piece by piece. I had to analyze whether or not teaching sequences, teaching strategies and assessments accomplished the goals I had aimed for. The rigorous assessment process taught me to focus all of my attention on one goal – student learning. This process transformed my teaching practice, and it changed me as a teacher. As a result, I have evidence that student learning has significantly increased in my classroom. I am very proud that I received certification, but the real accomplishment is the metamorphosis I experienced as a teacher.

For the past several years, I have had a vision for an outstanding science curriculum that is standards based, inquiry focused, and student centered. A rare and wonderful opportunity was given to me when I was asked to chair the science department at the brand new Spain Park High School. While assisting with departmental staffing, I was given the opportunity to talk with prospective science teachers and to share my vision for creating educational excellence and fostering the commitment necessary to attain this goal. Our initial staff of six science teachers has grown to thirteen. As a science faculty, we focus on the standards-based, inquiry-focused, student-centered instructional practice that I envisioned. What a significant accomplishment, to see science education reform in progress! As the department facilitator, I plan professional development activities that explore research-based teaching strategies. I also work with teachers in collaborative groups as they plan lessons, develop assessments, and discuss concerns, problems, and victories in their classrooms. I consider my leadership role in establishing a climate of excellence in instructional practice for our science department a very significant accomplishment.

The most critical issues facing educators today

Perhaps no topic provokes as much discussion and debate as does public education. Everyone can list problems associated with our schools but few offer solutions. The following list contains, what I consider to be, the major issues facing public education today:
	The lack of a plan to adequately fund schools, which results in larger class sizes, fewer support personnel, limited professional development for teachers and inadequate resources
	The ethnic and socioeconomic divide in student achievement
	The implementation of the No Child Left Behind legislation
	The challenge in preparing students for a highly technical world in antiquated buildings with limited technological resources
	The increase in the number of non-English-speaking students in the classrooms of English-speaking teachers
	The accountability of standardized testing and the subsequent effect on curriculum and instructional practice
	The ability to provide services for special-needs students without neglecting the needs of other students
	The violence in our schools
	The financial mismanagement by local school district personnel

These are serious issues that must be addressed in order for public education to improve. However, I consider the most serious issue facing public education to be that of teacher quality. The National Commission on Teaching & America’s Future and other researchers have identified the single variable making the most difference in student achievement to be the quality of students’ instruction. I do not believe the issue is a lack of quality teachers in our schools, but of improving teacher quality across the board. How do we encourage our best teachers to continually analyze and refine their teaching skills? How do we help struggling teachers to improve their effectiveness in the classroom? How do we teach novice teachers to objectively evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching practice?

There are several factors that result in poor teacher quality. At the secondary level, hiring restraints and teacher shortages in some areas result in classes being taught by teachers who are not certified in that subject area. Some Schools of Education do not do a quality job preparing teaching candidates for real classroom experience. Ineffective and inadequately funded professional development programs do not provide practicing teachers with the tools and expertise needed to raise student achievement.

Low teacher morale also contributes to poor teacher quality. In schools where buildings are in disrepair, where resources are in short supply, where discipline is lax, where expectations are low, teacher quality suffers. When a teacher works in isolation rather than as a member of a professional collaborative team, teacher quality is adversely affected. Without programs in place specifically designed to enhance teacher quality, it is unlikely that improvement will occur.

The primary effect of poor teacher quality is low student achievement. The educational research linking student achievement to teacher quality is consistently increasing. When inferior teaching is widespread, it can result in failing schools, failing school systems, and even national crises; the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) ranks U.S. education in secondary math and science among the lowest in the world! Poor teacher quality can also lead to the perception of public education as substandard. The effect is the negative attitude and lack of support from voters as they go to the polls to decide issues related to funding for our schools.

Ways to resolve these issues
The resolution to the problem of teacher quality is complex. To raise teacher quality across the board, all of the stakeholders in education must make it a focus and a priority. Local communities, school principals, district administrators and boards of education, state departments of education, teachers’ unions and teachers themselves must all agree that improving teacher quality is a goal worth pursuing. One-day workshops and twice-a-year teacher evaluations will not improve teaching in our nation! There is no quick fix.

I believe that one important step in improving teacher quality is already in place in Alabama and many other states. Because of the salary supplement offered to National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs), many teachers have taken the challenge to analyze their teaching practice through this rigorous assessment. Almost everyone who goes through the process claims that it revolutionizes him or her as a teacher. As the number of National Board Certified Teachers increases, so does the number of students taught by quality teachers!

To see real gains in teacher quality, the emphasis has to be at the school level and the focus has to be on the classroom. We cannot expect school administrators to be able to visit classrooms and confer with teachers enough to improve teacher quality in every classroom. I propose a model where teachers work together in small groups to focus on improving their own teaching practice.

A teacher leader (perhaps an NBCT) would lead each small group. The teacher leaders in a school would meet regularly with a principal assigned to oversee curriculum, instruction and teacher quality. This leadership team would discuss the goals for the small groups and establish the areas of need as indicated by the school’s mission, goals and data-driven self-evaluations.

The first goal of the group would be to identify areas where teachers need to improve in order to increase student learning. Ideally, the group would identify an area to study, research the topic and share findings. Together, they would develop practical classroom applications to improve teaching in the focus area. Most importantly, they would put their work into action in their own classrooms. Preferably, peer coaching would be available as the educators visit each other’s classrooms to observe other teachers at work. If that is not possible, teachers could videotape their lessons. The group would reconvene, analyze the lessons and discuss each teacher’s
strengths and weaknesses. These professional groups would be a safe place with one objective – improving teacher quality.

For this model to work, teachers have to know that their time and this process are valued. At the school level, administrators should work with teachers’ schedules to provide a common planning time. If it is not possible during the school day, the district should provide pay for the extra hours teachers would spend in these professional discussions or provide substitutes for release time. The teacher leader should be compensated for the extra hours that that responsibility would require. At the state level, a training program (perhaps similar to the Alabama Reading Initiative model) should be developed to train the leadership teams that would facilitate the program at their schools. Topics would include mentoring, peer coaching, analyzing and evaluating teaching effectiveness, conflict resolution, facilitating professional development, etc. Professional development funds would be channeled to these tasks in lieu of consultants, speakers, etc.

As teachers collaborate, see gains in student achievement and think reflectively about their practice, they will be motivated to continue to improve – teacher quality will increase across the board. Our students will be the beneficiaries. Imagine the day when every student in every classroom in our nation is taught by a quality teacher! That is a goal worth pursuing.

One thought to inspire teachers to succeed
Teaching is a very rewarding profession. There is no greater reward than going to work every day and doing what you love to do! On stressful days, I find it very calming to close the door with my students inside and begin my lesson. Soon, I am into the rhythm of my teaching and the distractions from outside begin to fade. As a teacher leader, it is also rewarding to share in the victories of my colleagues as they experience successes in their classroom. It is so satisfying to see young, bright teachers mature into outstanding educators and to feel personally involved in their growth.

However, teaching’s greatest rewards are associated with the students. I love the sparkle in the eye of a teenager who suddenly gets it. I delight in my students’ anticipation and excitement as they come into my room to analyze the results of an experiment that has been running overnight. It is a joy to draw a smiley face or write words of encouragement on the paper of a student who has worked so hard to improve. Several former students are now pursuing careers in science and credit their choice to the experiences they had in my biology class. Last year, I received a note from a former student who is now a college senior. She wrote that having me as a teacher inspired her to major in biology. She recalled that she struggled in my class. She thanked me for spending extra time with her and not giving up on her. She thanked me for teaching her how to learn. For me, there is no greater praise or reward.

The battle for our nation’s future is fought in the trenches of our classrooms. As teachers, we fight ignorance. We fight poverty. We fight prejudice and discrimination. We fight crime. We fight child abuse, teen pregnancy and substance addiction. Quality education is the enemy of these destructive forces. While America is actively fighting the war on terror, we must not lose sight of this educational war – the war for our children’s future. It is a war that we cannot afford to lose. The cost to fight this educational war is great; however, the price of losing this war is grave social, political and economic consequences for our nation.

One lesson: The joy of accomplishment and achievement is not in the reward, the recognition, the position or the wealth that results from the achievement. The real joy of achievement is truly in the achieving. True self-esteem comes from grasping something that was once out of your reach.

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