Teacher of the Month Recognition Program

The San Marcos Chamber of Commerce Education Committee wants to promote excellence in education by rewarding local educators whose instructional methods exemplify best practices for meaningful and engaged learning. As expressed so eloquently in words below, taken from “What Matters Most,” a publication of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, needs of the workforce have made changes in the classroom imperative:

“There has been no previous time in history when the success, indeed the survival, of nations and people has been so tightly tied to their ability to learn. Today’s society has little room for those who cannot read, write, and compute proficiently; find and use resources; frame and solve problems; and continually learn new technologies, skills, and occupations. The economy of high-wage jobs for low-skilled workers is fast disappearing. In contrast to only 20 years ago, individuals who do not succeed in school have little chance of finding a job or contributing to society—and societies that do not succeed at education have little chance of success in a global economy.

Because of this, America’s future depends now, as never before, on our ability to teach. If every citizen is to be prepared for a democratic society whose major product is knowledge, every teacher must know how to teach students in ways that help them reach high levels of intellectual and social competence. Every school must be organized to support powerful teaching and learning. Every school district must be able to find and keep good teachers. And every community must be focused on preparing students to become competent citizens and workers in a pluralistic, technological society.”

The Education Committee hopes that this effort will not only support individual teachers, but will serve as a vehicle for informing the public about effective instructional practices.

This monthly award is open to all educators from San Marcos area public and private educational institutions, pre K-16. Teachers may be nominated by anyone.

ü An invitation to the selected teacher and a student representative from his or her classroom to accept the award at an Education Committee luncheon.

ü A photograph of the teacher receiving the recognition will be sent to the local newspaper, with a brief description of the instructional practices meriting the award.

ü A letter of recognition and the reason for it will be prepared to be sent home to the parents of students in the recipient’s class(es).

ü Information about the recipient’s instructional practices, upon which the award is based, along with pictures of the teacher and classroom will be posted on the Chamber’s Education Committee website.

Create a cover sheet that includes the name, address and phone number of the nominee; name, address, and phone number of the person(s) making the nomination and their relationship to the nominee (self, parent of student, student); and date of the nomination.

Questions for the nominee are preceded by a description of each nomination criterion (see next page). The nominee should respond to the questions. If the nominee does not address one or more of the criteria, (s)he should please explain the rationale for not addressing it.

Type responses to the questions on a separate sheet of paper, with the name of the nominated person typed or written on the back of each page.

Turn nominations in by the first of each month to: Teacher of the Month Recognition Program

Criterion 1 - Tasks for Engaged Learning: In order to have engaged learning, tasks need to be challenging, authentic, and multidisciplinary. Such tasks are typically complex and involve sustained amounts of time. They are authentic in that they correspond to the tasks in the home and workplaces of today and tomorrow. Collaboration around authentic tasks often takes place with peers and mentors within school as well as with family members and others in the real world outside of school. These tasks often require integrated instruction that incorporates problem-based learning and curriculum by project.

Question 1: How is learning integrated through interesting projects/thematic units in your classroom?

Criterion 2 - Grouping for Engaged Learning: Collaborative work that is learning-centered often involves small groups or teams of two or more students within a classroom or across classroom boundaries. Heterogeneous groups (including different sexes, cultures, abilities, ages, and socioeconomic backgrounds) offer a wealth of background knowledge and perspectives to different tasks. Flexible grouping allows teachers to reconfigure small groups to differentiate instruction among skill levels.

Question 2: How do you use grouping to maximize instruction in your classroom and teach skills to work with others?

Criterion 3 - Learning Context of Engaged Learning: For engaged learning to happen, the classroom must be conceived of as a knowledge-building learning community. Such communities not only develop shared understandings collaboratively but also create empathetic learning environments that value diversity and multiple perspectives. These communities search for strategies to build on the strengths of all of its members. Truly collaborative classrooms, schools, and communities encourage students to ask hard questions, define problems, lead conversations, set goals, have work-related conversations with family members and other adults in and out of school, and engage in entrepreneurial activities.

Question 3: How do you create a learning environment that supports the appreciation of diversity, promotes risk taking and develops the creativity of your students?

Criterion 4 – Parent Involvement: In order to support their children’s learning, parents need to be informed about the teaching strategies used in the school (classroom). They need to learn about the instructional goals of a program and its impact on all students to make an informed judgment on the value of any new practice.

Question 4: How (and how often) do you communicate with your students’ parents? How do you support their capacity to nurture their children’s learning? (Are they given different ways to contribute to their children’s success and if so, how?)

[1] Based on North Central Regional Educational Laboratory “Indicators of Meaningful, Engaged Learning” and “Lessons Learned from Visits to National Title I Distinguished Schools.”