Marguerite Izzo
New York Teacher of the Year
Howard T. Herber Middle School, Malverne
Grade 5, Social Studies and English Language Arts

My teaching philosophy
I am part of the most important profession in the world. As we shape children’s minds, we have tremendous influence on their hearts and souls. Every child deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.

My philosophy in action
I look for opportunities to create successful experiences for each child every day. I show my students that I love them through my actions and my words. I incorporate authentic literature into my lessons whenever possible. Children’s literature is an incredible, powerful vehicle for teaching content area curriculum.

My greatest teaching accomplishment
My greatest teaching accomplishment is when I am able to motivate a student to do more than what has been expected of him in the past. This effort produces a tangible result on the part of the student, thereby giving the student evidence of their own ability. Real self esteem is built upon this evidence of hard work and sustained effort.

The most critical issues facing educators today
I am concerned about the overabundance of state tests and their use as the single most important factor in determining teacher effectiveness and student achievement.

Ways to resolve this issue
The government needs to reduce the redundancy of tests. There should be multiple ways to assess a student, including portfolio assessment. This would provide a more accurate and more complete profile of each learner.

One thought to inspire teachers to succeed
It has been proven through data that five years of good teaching can eliminate the achievement gap for our most disadvantaged learners.

One lesson every student should learn
Everyone has the power to make this world a better place, and must do so.

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