National Teacher Award Nominations

Do you know a teacher whose development and use of creative teaching methods gets students interested in history and helps them make exciting discoveries about the past?

Do you know a teacher who deserves recognition for their exemplary commitment to helping students develop their interest in history and recognize their achievements?

Every year New York State History Day has the opportunity to nominate our outstanding teachers for the PBS Teacher of Merit and the History Channel Service Award. This year, we also have the chance to nominate a teacher for the Patricia Behring Teacher Award.

The Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award recognizes outstanding NHD teachers. There are two state winners, one at both the junior level and senior level. The winners of the national awards will be selected from among the state awardees. To be eligible for the national award, a teacher must be a participant in the National History Day program with six years or more experience and be nominated by the state History Day coordinator.

We would love your nomination suggestions for these national awards. To nominate a canidate, please see below for eligibility criteria, and email us at nyshistoryday@nysha.org.

Nominations are due by April 13th.
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PBS Teacher of Merit

National History Day and PBS are pleased to announce the 2011 PBS Teacher of Merit Award for innovative history teaching. The award recognizes outstanding teachers at the state level and one exceptional history teacher at the national level. The eight finalists for this award will also be recognized at the national level, and each will receive a PBS video library.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible, a teacher must be a participant in the National History Day program with five years or less experience and be nominated by the state History Day coordinator. The evaluation criteria are as follows:

Development and use of creative teaching methods that interest students in history and help them make exciting discoveries about the past. Examples could include:

• Active learning projects, such as mock debates or oral history projects;
• Innovative use of primary sources;
• Integrated communication technology in history research and classroom learning;
• Teaching methods which link history to students’ broader interests (e.g., using interdisciplinary approaches to historical topics or by developing projects which link history to current events, debates, and issues); or
• The use of teaching methods which build a range of skills in students as they study history.
• Exemplary commitment to helping students develop their interest in history and recognize their achievements. Examples could include:
• Exemplary support and guidance for students working on History Day projects;
• Assistance in helping students showcase their history projects within the community and/or publish their material;
• Overall commitment to the intellectual development of individual students; or
• Encouragement of students to use their understanding of history to become engaged, informed citizens in their community and beyond.

History Channel Service Award

National History Day, in collaboration with The History Channel, is proud to announce the 12th annual History Channel Award for Service. The award, sponsored by The History Channel, will be presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to history education through service to the National History Day program.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible, the nominee must be a participant in the National History Day program and may be a teacher, media specialist, district or state National History Day coordinator, judge or parent. Nominees will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Success in involving students in the program at the district, state and national levels. The committee especially welcomes individuals who work within diverse communities.
• Service to the History Day program at all levels of the contests. Examples could include: mentoring new History Day teachers, judging, fund raising, publication of History Day materials, or strengthening the History Day community within a state or at the national level.
• Service to the discipline of history in general. Examples could include:
• Involvement in community projects that enhance people’s understanding and appreciation of history at the local level and beyond;
• Creative teaching in the classroom which helps students develop an appreciation of history;
• Collection of resources for history research in one’s community or state;
• Publication of history lesson plans; or
• Publication in professional journals of interest to history teachers and educators generally.
• Professional development. Examples could include: presentation at workshops, special courses or institutes, or publications.

PROCEDURES for NOMINATIONS

1. Anyone may propose nominees for this award. Letters of nomination must adhere to the following guidelines and must be no longer than two typed pages. Self nominations are accepted.
2. Describe the nominee’s position and the capacity in which he or she works with National History Day.
3. Explain the capacity in which the nominator has observed the work of the nominee.
4. Describe ways that the nominee has contributed to the advancement of the History Day program (i.e. judging, teacher workshops, coordination, etc.)
5. Provide examples of the ways that the nominee has made a difference in the lives of History Day students. Be sure to highlight what makes this individual unique.

The Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award

The Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award recognizes outstanding NHD teachers. Two state winners, one at both the junior level and senior level, will be selected from each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense Schools, International Schools-Asia and the U.S. territories. The winners of the national awards will be selected from among the state awardees.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible for the national award, a teacher must be a participant in the National History Day program with six years or more experience and be nominated by the state History Day coordinator. State level winners are determined by the state and years of experience for eligibility may vary from state to state. The evaluation criteria are as follows:

Development and use of creative teaching methods that interest students in history and help them make exciting discoveries about the past. Examples could include:

• Active learning projects, such as mock debates or oral history projects;
• Innovative use of primary sources;
• Integrated communication technology in history research and classroom learning;
• Teaching methods which link history to students’ broader interests (e.g., using interdisciplinary approaches to historical topics or by developing projects which link history to current events, debates, and issues); or
• The use of teaching methods which build a range of skills in students as they study history.

Exemplary commitment to helping students develop their interest in history and recognize their achievements. Examples could include:

• Exemplary support and guidance for students working on History Day projects;
• Assistance in helping students showcase their history projects within the community and/or publish their material;
• Overall commitment to the intellectual development of individual students; or
• Encouragement of students to use their understanding of history to become engaged, informed citizens in their community and beyond.

PROCEDURES for NOMINATIONS

1. Interested teachers should contact their state History Day coordinator.
2. The state coordinator will select the State History Day Teacher of the Year and write a letter of nomination for that person. In addition, the nominee should provide the state coordinator with three (3) letters of recommendation in support of the nomination. The letters should address the criteria provided above and be written by those who know the nominee well and can give specific examples of excellence in history teaching.
3. The teacher nominee will submit a testimonial about the impact of the NHD program on a class or an individual student. This testimonial should address aspects such as the teacher's role and the immediate and long term impact on the student(s)' academic or social growth.