Allan Bruner
Oregon Teacher of the Year
Colton High School, Colton
Grade 10-12, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Music and Drama

My teaching philosophy
As teachers, we must embrace technology enhancements and recognize that content delivery and assessment must change to keep pace with that technology. As we embrace a “What’s best for kids?” perspective, we must recognize that the human endeavor of creating new knowledge changes our role from ‘expert’ to ‘facilitator.’ We are now guides in the process of teaching students to “learn to learn, unlearn, and relearn,” as described by the futurist Alvin Toffler. Our role changes from dispenser of knowledge to the Socratic mentor who asks “have you thought about…?” or “have you considered…?”

My philosophy in action
If there is anything that I attempt to demonstrate in the classroom, it is that to be educated is to examine life holistically, not as a group of disparate disciplines totally unrelated to each other. For example, I have used John Perlin’s text “A Forest Journey,” which depicts forest product utilization throughout the development of western cultures, in western civilization, chemistry, in physics and even in my mathematics courses! I had one student who is pursuing a career with law enforcement comment on the fact that her Wednesday evening training sessions had introduced and developed ideas of vehicular motion we had actually discussed in her physics and advanced mathematics courses the previous Monday. There is truly nothing as powerful as a student recognizing a direct connection between academic learning and on the job experiences, and then communicating that to her or his peers!

My greatest teaching accomplishment
My greatest rewards as a teacher are situations when a student can see for him or herself a direct link between the classroom and what they are choosing to pursue as a career. Our school prides itself in its efforts to draw these connections, and I try as a professional to facilitate those efforts in all the classes I teach. This is perhaps the greatest strength I bring to the profession.

The most critical issues facing educators today
Making education relevant to students today is our most pressing concern and our greatest challenge. We must ask the question “What’s best for kids?” as we evaluate our curriculum decisions, our teaching practices, and our assessment techniques.

Ways to resolve this issue
Resolution is multifaceted, and requires partnerships between the business community, the schools, and the students themselves. Every state has outstanding examples of entities that facilitate partnerships between educational institutes and businesses or industries that literally change lives. As a summer intern for one such venture here in Oregon, I interviewed dozens of young men and women who could clearly see and articulate the “why” behind their educational plans. These types of programs are vital to helping solve the disconnection between students and their education. Additionally, teachers who maintain an awareness of the process can assist students in ways that promote relevant educational experiences and reflections.

One thought to inspire teachers to succeed
A colleague of mine stated it best when he said that it really didn’t matter what subject matter we teach to kids; what they will remember years from now is not what they were taught, but the spirit in which they were taught. In other words, were the students treated with dignity and respect? Were they given every opportunity to succeed within the classroom setting? Did they believe that the teacher truly cared for them as individuals? Did they believe that the teacher had their best interests in mind? Because I teach psychology at the high school level, I have some wonderful conversations with my students on these issues. From a global perspective, however, what I am trying to get them to see is that those who teach have the incredible ability and power to shape a person’s perceptions of self and their own ability to learn!

One lesson every student should learn
They are unique! They are gifted in some way, whether in the classroom, in the practice room with an instrument, in the studio with a paint brush or a digital camera, in the realm of athletics, or some other venue. All students should be valued for their unique talents and abilities.

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