Tammy Tiong
New Mexico Teacher of the Year
Dulce Elementary School, Dulce
Grades K-2, Special Education, All Subjects

My teaching philosophy
I believe that every child has the capacity and the desire to learn - it’s what naturalist Rachel Carson called an “inborn sense of wonder” - and my goal as a teacher is to do everything I can to keep this sense of wonder alive, to encourage all children to question and learn, explore with all their senses, to revel in both the complex and the simple things of the world, to celebrate their uniqueness. My philosophy of education involves recognizing, valuing, and addressing the needs of students of various cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic backgrounds; of learning styles, abilities and preferences; of multiple intelligences, interests, personalities, and family types.

Kids need to see in their teacher someone who is sincerely passionate about learning, with enthusiasm that is contagious. They need real, human role models who love, get sad, become frustrated occasionally, and get so excited about learning that we jump up and down, letting our smiles burst into laughter. They need teachers who recognize and build upon the strengths of each individual. They need their classroom experiences to be interesting, meaningful, and relevant so that their brains say, “Oh, I see!” instead of “So what?” They need teachers who will take them beyond mere recall of facts, providing opportunities for critical thinking, analyzing, synthesizing, comparing, evaluating, and applying. They need to learn how to have conversations with texts, how to agree or disagree with an author or character, how to acknowledge confusion and forge through it, and, ultimately, how to determine their own truths.

My philosophy in action
I use movement often, to engage the body and incorporate all parts of the brain; I use music to teach and reinforce concepts, to help kids relate what they know to what they are learning, to make learning fun and memorable. I use art to spark creativity, imagination, and ideas. I can’t help but get excited about the learning process - I can’t help but laugh and clap and jump around when I discover a new trick that makes learning easier or more interesting. I listen to students as individuals - to what they say as well as what they don’t say—and strive to find in each child what he or she wishes somebody would see. I welcome questions and diversions and wonderings and suggestions. I constantly remind my students how what they are learning relates to real life as they know it, and encourage them to come up with their own reasons why the topic or subject is relevant and why it might be important for them to learn.

My greatest teaching accomplishment
Unlocking the magic of reading for kids, and then handing over the keys. Helping kids find their unique voices in the choir of Life, and helping them discover the joys and opportunities in their world. Showing kids that learning can be FUN and can take place in any environment.

The most critical issues facing educators today
The narrow focus of the federal “No Child Left Behind” law is leaving too many children - particularly English Language Learners, minority students, those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and students with special needs—behind. The over-reliance on standardized tests as the sole measure of students’ “proficiency” in a few subjects increases emphasis on rote learning and memorization, and in many cases has reduced the playful creativity that fuels and inspires lifelong learning. We are at risk of producing “standardized minds,” (to borrow a Peter Sacks phrase) rather than the ingenious creative problem solvers on whom our future will depend. Dropout rates are actually increasing and the “academic achievement gap,” which mirrors society’s racial and class inequality, is widening.

As a Special Education teacher, I also see that educating students with disabilities in inclusive settings has become a major issue across the country. In many places, students who had previously been educated in resource rooms have suddenly been “dumped” into regular classrooms with insufficient supports and services. Teachers are not prepared or adequately trained in how to work with students with various disabilities; they do not have time to plan or collaborate with their colleagues (including Special Education teachers and Speech/Language or Occupational Therapists); they lack appropriate resources and materials to support the students with special needs; and they already feel overburdened and pressured to maintain high standards for a classroom full of students. The effects of these poorly planned and implemented models have been negative attitudes towards inclusion in general.

Ways to resolve these issues
First of all, we would do well to apply a basic tenet of permaculture to education: Solutions Grow From Place. In other words, each school and each community require their own solutions, and we need to allow for more local control and management. Schools need to be held accountable for ensuring that all students are receiving the best education and achieving at and above their potential. But accountability needs to grow from the inside - from the bellies and hearts of individual schools, communities, and local governments.

Solutions to the “inclusion” issue might involve major reorganization of a school’s infrastructure and ideologies. For one thing, administrators need to help create school-wide schedules that take into consideration students with special needs, and design ways for inclusive classrooms to have the support of a Special Educator and relevant paraprofessionals as needed. Close inspection of Individual Education Plans would be necessary in order to create schedules that are logistically possible, and that meet the needs of all students. As outrageous as it may sound, governments may need to provide funding for schools to place a Regular and a Special Education co-teacher in every classroom with special needs students. If this is not possible, the following factors will certainly be needed: specialized training for teachers, assistive technology, well-designed Individual Education Plans, adapted materials, training in setting up collaborative learning groups and peer tutoring, inclusion of paraprofessionals or therapists, time for planning and collaboration, sufficient funding, flexibility, and most importantly, a proper attitude and a belief in the ability of all students to learn and succeed.

As far as the effect that “No Child Left Behind” is having on our schools, I would like to quote the editors of the nonprofit magazine Rethinking Schools, who believe that “to serve the educational and social goals of a truly democratic society, real reform must adequately address all the key issues of sufficient funding, teacher preparation and support, classroom practice, community participation, institutional racism, systemwide fairness, and larger issues of social accountability and public policy” (Summer, 2005).

One thought to inspire teachers to succeed
Very simple: kids are our present and our future. Our world needs their curiosity, their ingenuity, their active participation—now and tomorrow.

One lesson every student should learn
I believe all students should learn how to remain true to themselves in the midst of a crowd; how to hold on to their original dreams and imagination; how to share our home planet justly with all life; how to respect differences and find commonalities; how to speak with words and actions as well as with silence. They should learn how to question authority with respect and dignity; how to live in peaceful disagreement with neighbors; how to love anything without embarrassment. All students should learn how to see both the beauty and the injustices in the world, and should be prepared to work at preserving the former and eradicating the latter; they should learn how to live with courage, integrity, and laughter; how to read both books and life itself. And all students, regardless of age, should learn how to grow a plant, play hide-and-seek, and fix a busted bicycle tire.

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