Claremore High School Site Teacher of the Year - Mr. Bruce Riggs

Let's meet Mr. Riggs, the site Teacher of the Year for @Claremore High School, who teaches Biomedical Sciences. 

Mr. Bruce Riggs is a highly experienced high school teacher who has dedicated his career to inspiring students to pursue careers in the medical field. His passion for teaching and medicine has driven him to create a dynamic and engaging classroom experience that motivates and challenges students every day.

“Teachers should vigorously engage students and create a classroom environment of excellence where excellence is in the DNA of the class culture. Outstanding teaching, regardless of the individual student’s caliber,  should always yield improvement in their self-efficacy and learning,” he said.  

Mr. Riggs strives to create a classroom experience that is as interactive as it is stimulating through hands-on experiences. Through his Biomedical Innovations program, he gives students the opportunity to gain real-world experience in a variety of medical fields, from nursing to research to public health. But Mr. Riggs' impact extends far beyond the classroom walls. He regularly brings in industry professionals to present to his students, giving them an inside look into the various medical professions and the requirements needed to succeed in them. 

If you ask Mr. Riggs what his proudest teaching accomplishment is, he'll tell you, “ My most meaningful teaching contribution and accomplishment have been to inspire students to pursue the opportunity to become the next generation of healthcare professionals in our great state and community.”  And indeed, it's clear that his dedication and passion have made a lasting impression on countless students over the years. 

Mr. Riggs says, “Teaching is a contact sport.”  He believes that teachers who use high-impact pedagogical strategies are effective in positively impacting student learning. He places great emphasis on building relationships with students, trust, and focus on achieving a challenging and engaging classroom experience. His primary approach to instruction is project-based learning, where students engage in learning that allows for the exploration of future college and career pathways while addressing social and emotional developmental needs. Mr. Riggs implements real-world experiences to empower students to gain the skills they need to thrive in the workplace, college, military, and beyond.  Mr. Riggs emphasizes the importance of transportable skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, skills that are highly valued and demanded in medical career pathways. He collects teaching resources that prioritize these skills to ensure that students are well-equipped. Mr. Riggs adopts primary strategies such as Project Based Learning, Inquiry-Based Learning, and Differentiated Learning to achieve maximum impact.

Mr. Riggs believes that teaching professionals have a responsibility to master skills in planning, communication, collaboration, adaptability, and listening, with measurable results that demonstrate excellence in their lessons and activities. He emphasizes that teachers should engage their students and create a culture of excellence in their classrooms, with high expectations for performance and ownership of results. Mr. Riggs' approach focuses on small wins every day, which create purpose and joy, ultimately resulting in outstanding results. He contributes to the strengthening and improvement of the teaching profession by being a good team member in the professional learning community, fostering relationships outside of the community that are beneficial to his students, speaking with other core teachers, and taking students outside of the classroom to visit medical schools, hospitals, and industries. His goal is to make a positive impact by continuing to foster community relationships for the benefit of STEM programs and students.

Prior to his career in teaching, Mr. Riggs served in the United States Air Force, where he gained valuable skills and experiences that would later inform his teaching philosophy. As a clinical specialist, he worked with healthcare companies to develop new technologies that would lead to improvements in health outcomes and patient experiences. It was during this time that he was first given the opportunity to teach, an experience that would ultimately shape his career path.

Riggs is proud of what has been accomplished in Claremore public schools (CPS). CPS is winning big and producing robust educational products that are worthy of recognition. The infrastructure of CPS has been built in a way that can compete with any public school district in Oklahoma. CPS has a significant competitive advantage in STEM programs, and 98% of students who participate in these programs go on to college. CPS has a long history of award-winning “Blue Ribbon” and Great Expectation Model schools, award-winning teachers, and forward-thinking administrators who know how to compete and win. Riggs believes that CPS is poised to compete and win at every level, and it doesn't have to play defense anymore.

#CPSZEBRAPRIDE