Michael Clabby
Idaho Teacher of the Year
Lake City High School, Coeur d’Alene
Grades 9-12, Computer Graphics/Multimedia

My teaching philosophy
Teaching is one of the noblest professions in our society today. There is no greater satisfaction than contributing to the quality of another person’s life. An outstanding teacher respects and cares for each individual and constantly strives to meet the needs of each learner. A teacher’s attitude has a powerful impact on his/her students. For any teacher to be successful, his attitude has to be such that his passion for learning is evident to all those around him. Passion is shown by enthusiasm and enthusiasm is contagious. Students who are enthusiastic learners will accomplish more than they ever thought possible.

My philosophy in action
Keeping a student’s interest is imperative, and I vowed to myself when I first started in this profession that I would strive never to bore my students. My storage room is full of wigs, helmets, breastplates, costumes, and various other props. When I taught history, the students would sometimes see me in character as I would “become” Thomas Jefferson or Hernando Cortez and give the lesson for the day. Computer graphics, multimedia, and digital video also lend themselves to usage of my props.

My greatest teaching accomplishment
My greatest VISIBLE accomplishment would be the amount and level of technology I have brought into our school district. I have personally written grants and solicited corporate donations that have amounted to bringing over eighty thousand dollars’ worth of hardware and software into our school district. My programs have received national awards and in return, I have shared this information at many local, state, national, and international conferences. However, I consider my GREATEST accomplishment in education to be when a student enrolls in my classroom as a disgruntled, sullen teenager and suddenly finds his niche in computer graphics or digital video. I watch a transformation take place when he/she realizes that he/she does have many talents and strengths, and does have some self worth.

The most critical issues facing educators today
Meeting the needs of all students is a real concern and the alarming drop out rate is a direct correlation of our failure to meet these needs. I see more and more students who are truly being “left behind.” Each year, almost one third of all public high school students fail to graduate from public high school.

Ways to resolve this issue
Smaller schools and a lower teacher-pupil ratio would help to connect the students to their teacher. Individualized instruction is then easier and student accountability is increased. If a student is absent from class, the teacher immediately checks on him/her. When the student/teacher ratio is small, there is not enough room to fall through the cracks. Not all students learn the same way, and they can’t all be educated the same way. We need to constantly be searching for new ways to connect with each student, get to know each student, and spend extra time with him/her if extra help is needed. Also, we need to develop curriculums that connect what the students are learning in the classroom with real life experiences by interacting with businesses in the community. Students need to see the relevance of their learning. We also need to actively encourage parents to become involved with the schools and their child’s learning. There is a proven high correlation between this and success.

One thought to inspire teachers to succeed
Teaching is not only the most challenging career, it is the most rewarding. It will leave you with a treasure chest of memories that you will cherish and carry with you the rest of your life. You will impact lives in a positive way and promote educational and emotional growth in young children in numbers you will never know.

One lesson every student should learn
Hold on tight to your dreams and don’t ever give up on yourself. Within you lies more potential to succeed than you could ever imagine. Do not compare yourself to anyone else; search for your own personal tools and gifts. They are there. Once found, everything else will fall into place.

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