His Story
John Snyder began teaching English and debate at South High School in Fargo, North Dakota, in 1971 and taught there for nine years. After a year teaching English at Wichita State University, he moved to Las Vegas in 1981 and taught English and computer science at Hyde Park Junior High School, then computer science at Chaparral High School (1985–1991) and Cimarron-Memorial High School (1991–1994). Since 1994 he has taught at the Advanced Technologies Academy, a magnet high school in Las Vegas, where his courses include multimedia, web design and construction, and website maintenance. His degrees include a B.A. in English, speech and human relations from the University of Kansas (1970) and an M.S. in computer education from Nova University (1984).
His honors include Nevada Teacher of the Year (1990), the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award (1992), Southern Nevada Teacher of the Year (1991), Technology Teacher of the Year from Microsoft and Technology & Learning magazine (1995), a Business Week Award for Innovative Teaching (1989) and the Dolly Parton Foundation Chasing Rainbows Award (2003). He is a two-time Christa McAuliffe Fellow (1994, 1997), a Tandy Technology Scholar, and was inducted into the Clark County School District’s Excellence in Education Hall of Fame (1992). The State of Nevada declared an official “John Snyder Day” in 1995 and 1996.
Beyond the Classroom
Snyder’s students build real websites and Flash applets for real clients, including Habitat for Humanity, the Children’s Heart Foundation, Variety Day Home and the Clark County School District Virtual High School. Teams of students have developed a driver’s education course for the district’s distance education program. Each week he highlights the best student work on a special “Crème de la Crème” website. He also sponsors a didjeridu club, teaching students about the ancient Australian instrument and buying each of them one to play.
He has served as national coordinator of the Milken Educator Network (six years), coordinator of its listserve (five years), and editor of the newsletter of the National State Teachers of the Year (eight years). He has written applications that earned his school national Blue Ribbon School recognition (2003) and School of Distinction status (2004), and has successfully nominated about a dozen teachers for major awards. He teaches two online courses for the district’s Virtual High School, including a Computer Applications course converted into an online adventure game, and has led workshops for educators locally, statewide and nationally.
Philosophy Into Practice
Snyder says his classroom should be “an island of serenity.” It has twenty-six computers and three web servers, and a software system that lets him help any student without calling attention to it. Mondays bring a hands-on quiz, Tuesdays a demonstration of a new skill with an example of his own work, and a “can you top it?” challenge, and the rest of the week students work on projects that often go far beyond the original assignment.
He compares a teacher to a telescope lens: the better it works, the less you notice it. He gives students “just barely not enough information” so they ask the question themselves, and he stresses authentic learning, with as few assignments as possible seen only by teacher and student. As he puts it, “As teachers, it is our job to make ourselves obsolete.”
“Good teaching is not an ego trip; it is a ninja-like adventure to providing a resource for the student’s development.”— John Snyder
“We should all teach to our passion, for teaching is less about filling empty containers than it is about lighting fires.”— John Snyder
In His Own Words
“There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.”— John Snyder
“As teachers, it is our job to make ourselves obsolete.”— John Snyder
“We must create a fire in their hearts, and give them wings.”— John Snyder
“I try to make my classroom an island of serenity.”— John Snyder
“What I try to avoid as I teach is too much me.”— John Snyder
“Accountability is the key to productivity, in the classroom as well as in the real world.”— John Snyder
What Others Said
“John is the most dedicated, humble, and compassionate individual I have ever met.”— Edna Rogers, nominator and colleague
“John is the definition of teaching’s being more of an art than a science — a natural model of kindness, spirit, friendliness, and approachability.”— Karen Diamond, Principal, Advanced Technologies Academy
“I like Mr. Snyder’s teaching style because I was never bored in his class.”— Aaron Eastburg, former student
“His immense knowledge is only surpassed by his kindness and willingness to share.”— Bonnie I. Harmon, Educational Computing Strategist and colleague
“Each day there are a dozen or more students hanging around John’s room working on personal projects, just waiting to chat with him.”— Valarie L. Young, colleague
“Most importantly, under his careful tutelage, students excel.”— Michael Kinnaird, former principal, Advanced Technologies Academy