CNMI’s Tamangided joins Obama, top educators in DC

CNMI Teacher of the Year Marvin Tamangided, third from right, poses for a photo with other state teachers of the year and President Barack Obama during the annual recognition ceremony at the nation’s capital. (Contributed Photo)

CNMI Teacher of the Year Marvin Tamangided traveled to the nation’s capital last week to join U.S. President Barack Obama and 55 other leading state teachers in the annual State Teachers of the Year Recognition Ceremony.

The Rota educator also participated in workshops and education forums hosted by Microsoft.

“The most memorable part of the trip was meeting the United States President in the Oval Office,” he told Saipan Tribune. “As I entered the Oval Office, I kept thinking about all the hardworking educators in our great Commonwealth.”

Tamangided said he told the President that he “traveled many miles to see you and though I am only one person physically present, I am also joined in spirit by all the educators from the Northern Marianas, some of the best teachers in the nation.”

Tamangided said he bonded easily with the other teachers and considers it a privilege to have met them.

“They are passionate educators who strive to improve our educational system. Each and every one of them has become a dear friend. One thing I learned is that we have more in common than differences,” he added.

He explained that although some school districts are smaller than others, they all share the passion, commitment, concerns, and challenges in student learning.

“When putting all awards aside, we are simply educators who understand students.”

After returning from Washington, D.C., Tamangided said he and the other state teachers now have the responsibility of improving the local and national educational system. He explained that involving teachers in policy making is one way of doing that.

“Oftentimes teachers are left out from policy discussions. That is a problem because teachers are the experts in classroom instruction. As state teachers, we must elevate teacher voices in policy-making decision,” he explained. “Teachers are the ones who directly work with students, so if teachers are heard, then students are heard.”

Tamangided plans to advocate for a teacher representative on the CNMI State Board of Education—a matter that he said must be resolved by the Legislature.

He will also be proposing a hybrid-teacher program, an alternative for teacher leadership in schools.

“What happens a lot in schools is that great teachers become full time administrators. But what if we figure out a way where teachers can take on real administrator roles but not completely leave the classroom? I want to serve in this way.”

As the islands’ PSS ambassador, Tamangided hopes to inspire his own students with his experiences.

“Even if we come from small islands in the Western Pacific, we can still collaborate and contribute with some of the nation’s brightest people,” he said.