Barbara Murray, 1995 Oregon Teacher of the Year, teaches English at West Linn High School in West Linn. "If I can 'capture' kids and their imaginations," says Ms. Murray, "if they leave class thinking that they are 'good at' English, if they become readers and thinkers for life - then, that is success." Ms. Murray is passionate about the material she teaches, and she uses a variety of approaches that match her students' varied interests and styles of learning. Cooperative learning strategies, simulations and student portfolios are some of the methods she relies on. She was a recent participant in Harvard's School of Education Project Zero, a workshop in curriculum integration and development, strategies which she has successfully helped to incorporate into her own school.
