2001 New York Teacher of the Year
Ms. Schamberg is a Social Studies teacher at Ramapo High School in Spring Valley, New York. For nineteen years, she has been teaching Social Studies, European History AP, Psychology, Humanities and Model Congress to students in grades ten through twelve.

What are your beliefs about teaching?
"Every child can learn – it's up to us to provide them with opportunities to succeed. I try to view each student as if he were my own child, and treat him accordingly. Respect is an important component in establishing a trusting, nurturing, learning environment. We have to earn respect and trust, these are not guaranteed."

How are your beliefs incorporated in your teaching style?
"I work toward making my students understand that I believe in their ability to learn. I encourage them to strive for the expectations that they set for themselves and not just the expectations I have for them."

What is your greatest teaching accomplishment?
"My greatest teaching accomplishment is having established a number of programs, in particular, the Model Congress Program, which is a hands-on educational experience simulating the U.S. legislative process."

What's the most critical issue facing educators today and what do you think can be done to resolve this issue?
"The most critical issue facing educators today is making sure all children have opportunities to succeed in reaching higher standards set for graduation. This can be resolved by creating smaller classes, more staff development, extended learning time for children who need more assistance and greater parental involvement."

Inspirational thought:
"Teachers have the most important job in our society and they have tremendous power each and every day in a classroom where they can impact an individual life for better or for worse. It's a power we must not abuse."