Ronald J. Blanchard
Earth Science, Grade 8, Ray D. Molo Middle School, Lake Charles, Louisiana
Total years as a classroom teacher: 32
EDUCATION
| 1991 | McNeese State University, M.S., Education |
| 1977 | McNeese State University, B.S., Education |
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
| 2000-present | 8, Earth Science, Ray D. Molo Midle School, Lake Charles, Louisiana |
| 1977-2000 | Grades 9-12, Biology, Washington-Marion High School, Lake Charles, Louisiana |
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
| 2007 | Award of Excellence, Louisiana Middle School Association |
| 2003 | Teacher of the Year, Martin Luther King Coalition |
| 1997 | High School Teacher of the Year, runner up, Calcasieu Parish School Board |
- Ronald believes that developing collaborative, productive working relationships is critical to the success of a teacher. His primary focus is to establish a foundation of confidence and trust. He builds this foundation of trust by visiting students and their parents in their homes before school starts, which allows him to understand the specific situation of each of his students.
- His classroom environment is not limited to the four walls of a school building. Many lessons are taught outside the classroom to provide real-life relevant experiences that students can use throughout their lives and educational careers.
“Ronald refuses to address the ‘tip of the iceberg.’ He understands that teachers must know the ‘whole student’ to successfully address the needs and accommodations that ensure quality instruction…Beyond his dispensation of scientific facts and concepts, it is his belief that students and teachers must develop sincere relationships to collaboratively and collectively face the global challenges of education.”
James Wilson, Principal, Ray D. Molo Middle School
“Currently, in his thirty-second year of teaching, Mr. Blanchard’s dedication to education is manifest in his children, the community and the educational system itself. He has always been a teaching pioneer in his thinking and approach. He never stops looking for ways to innovate and transcend our traditional methods of educating. My desire to accomplish more in life was, in no small part, due to the spark that Mr. Blanchard ignited in me.”
Erica Papillion-Posey, Former Student