An Amazing Teacher - One of Many

This morning I had an incredible experience. Let me describe it for you.

Minutes before the start of the contest the players huddled around their coach. He looked each of them in the eye and tried to encourage them.

"You have prepared for this day," he said. "For the last 180 days you have worked for this moment. Now is your time to dominate. Bring it in. On three, DOMINATE!"

The players huddled closer together, raised their arms, and joined their hands. "DOMINATE!"

It sounds like a typical pre-game meeting between a coach and players. But this was not a coach and his team. This was an AP Calculus teacher and his students. It Brett McCartney talking to his students right before they took their AP Calculus test. After he encouraged them he left the room, leaving his students in the hands of the AP test proctors. It was an amazing sight!

Here was a teacher who was invested in his students. He understood that his role was to prepare them to be successful. He understood that his job was to make them ready.

I sat in his class this year and watched as he expressed his disappointment with his students about their performance on a quiz that he was returning to them. I saw him ask questions, probe for understanding, and build on knowledge that he knew they had. He understood his job and he was trying to do it as well as he could.

Today was the day that the students had the opportunity to demonstrate that they had learned their lessons. They screamed "Dominate" and then returned to their assigned seats, number 2 pencils in hand, ready for their test.

Mr. McCartney invests in his students. He assumes a personal responsibility for their success. He prepares, he teaches, he reflects, and he tries to get better every day. He knows what the expectations are and he builds up his students so they can clear the hurdle.

He doesn't lower his standard when students struggle. He looks for ways to reach and teach them so that they will be successful.

He understands that students also have a responsibility. He knows that students must invest time and energy into learning. He realizes that ultimately learning falls on the students but he does everything he can to maximize their success.

The wonderful thing for me is that their are many teachers in our district who do the same thing every day. I have seen teachers at every level - elementary, middle school, and high school - demonstrate the same professional demeanor as Mr. McCartney. It was exciting to see this teacher so passionate about his craft this morning.

The lucky thing for me is that I get to see this kind of passion on display in our district every day.