PHILIP BIGLER
1998 National Teacher of the Year
“Civilization begins anew with each child.”
“We
need
more
teachers
like
Philip
Bigler
and
all
of
our
honorees
in
every
American
classroom.
For
it
is
they
who
can
make
our
schools
the
best
in
the
world.
It
is
they
who
can
guarantee
that
America
will
have
another
American
Century
in
the
21st century.”
President Bill Clinton
April 24, 1998
WELCOME
Philip Bigler (’74; ‘76) received a B.A. in History and a M.Ed. in Secondary Education/History from Madison College. He then went on to be a history/humanities teacher for Fairfax County Public Schools from 1975 –2001. During this time, he earned his M.A. in American Studies from the College of William and Mary and left teaching for a 2-year stint as the Historian for Arlington National Cemetery. Bigler returned to teaching history at McLean and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, garnering many accolades for his excellent classroom teaching. Mr. Bigler earned the most prestigious award for a classroom teacher, being honored as the 1998-1999 National Teacher of the Year and was selected for the Milken Educator Award in 1999. In 2001 Bigler returned to James Madison University to lead the James Madison Center for Liberty & Learning in its mission to honor the legacy of the nation’s fourth President and the father of the U.S. Constitution. From 2001- 2010, Professor Bigler oversaw all aspects of the Madison Center including academic research, public relations, and teacher training. During his tenure at JMU, Mr. Bigler taught courses in American Studies, History, Education and Political Science. He is the author of ten books on history and educationincluding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: A Century of Honor, 1921-2021 ; Teaching History in an Uncivilized World ; Hostile Fire: The Life and Death of Lt. Sharon A. Lane ; and In Honored Glory: Arlington National Cemetery, the Final Post . He has been a featured guest on such programs as Late Night with David Letterman and Nightline as has served as an on-air historian on Fox News, CNN, and the History Channel.