2002 Utah Teacher of the Year
Mr. Bailey teaches General Education to the students in grade five at Washington Elementary in Utah. He has twelve years of teaching experience.

What are your beliefs about teaching?
"Teaching is a blend of art and science. The art of teaching is demonstrated by the passion that a teacher has for his profession and how he communicates that with the students. The science of teaching is how a teacher uses effective teaching methods and employs research-driven curriculum to meet the needs of his students. These two concepts will provide teachers and students with the tools they need to succeed."

How are your beliefs incorporated in your teaching style?
"In my classroom, I always keep the needs of the students as my first priority. Then, using the latest research that I can find, as well as going with methods and strategies that have worked for me in the past, I try to create an environment that will effectively meet those needs."

What is your greatest teaching accomplishment?
"My greatest teaching accomplishment is when students come back to me years after they have left my classroom and tell me what a positive influence I had on their lives, not only as students but as people."

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 how they handle the new move toward tighter accountability and high stakes testing. To resolve this issue, educators can make sure that individual states and school districts are meeting the goal of the federal legislation 'no child left behind' – not by tracking teachers but by monitoring individual student progress."

Inspirational thought:
"We are the builders of dreams. On our shoulders a child can touch the stars."