Deborah Perryman
Illinois Teacher of the Year
Elgin High School, Elgin, IL
Grades Ten through Twelve, Biology, Environmental Science

My teaching philosophy
I believe that we must move youth to action. Projects that connect learning standards to community needs are motivating and real world. I don't want students to ask "When will I ever use this again?". I want them to know why they need the information taught in each and every unit.

My philosophy in action
My students teach Illinois' Natural History to thousands of community members each year. They have improved water quality by participating in storm drain stenciling, becoming Illinois Citizen Scientist and teaching pre-k through 8th grade students the components of a healthy watershed. They are working to raise feeder school state reading scores by reading aloud in local schools. Everything my students are learning in class, translates into a community project.

My greatest teaching accomplishment
My greatest accomplishment in terms of my career as a teacher is converting 35 acres of unused school land into a multi-sensory, hands-on, district and community resource.

The most critical issues facing educators today
This is a tough question, because it can be so complicated. I feel moral is a bit low. At times my colleagues and I feel like our backs are against "a wall".

So many demands are placed on teachers in terms of helping a child achieve. So many outside factors affect the ability of that child to learn. If educators could really "fix" students, we would be Noble prize winners. To "fix" our students we need to fix poverty, hunger, addiction, illiteracy, and apathy. Social ills that have been the solitary work of scholars for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Yet year after year, teachers return to the classroom, ready to help each child cope with the environmental factors that affect their learning. We give our very best to each young person who files through our door.

Ways to resolve this issue
I feel that one way to address the social ills that enter our room each day is to utilize Service Learning. Engaging them in community projects is one way we can increase moral, address community needs and motivate our young people.

One thought to inspire teachers to succeed
Take time to enjoy your students. Find ways to engage them in community projects that help you meet state learning standards. Never say "It's not my job!"

One lesson every student should learn
I bet that if we did a study of school mission statements and goals, nearly all of them would say something about creating citizens. This is an important mission. To "create" citizens, we need to provide our young people an opportunity to "practice citizenship".

The standard system in place in most schools is great, but now is the time to reach for experiences outside of the classroom. The most important thing a student can learn is that they count, that their opinion (vote) counts.

I want my students to learn to use their voices and brains to make community change, that they can make change irregardless of wealth, ethnicity, academic ability or primary language. To create an active citizen, we must groom an active citizen.

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