Call for Nominations for the 2017 CLASP Teaching Award for K-12 Educators

In 2017 the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP) calls for nominations for its fourth annual “CLASP Teaching Award for K–12 Educators.” The award was established to recognize excellence and innovation in the teaching of Latin America and/or the Caribbean among elementary, middle, and high school teachers. CLASP proudly honors teachers who have displayed continued dedication to presenting their students with an engaging and dynamic portrait of Latin America that goes beyond the textbook.

Nominations should come from CLASP member institutions; both faculty and administrators may submit a nomination, although only one nomination may be submitted per institution. Nominees do not have to teach at a CLASP member institution.

Procedures for Nomination
Please include the following:

(1) A 1–2-page letter from the nominator providing clear and convincing evidence of the following:
(a) Outstanding teaching effectiveness, including teaching methods and student successes stories
(b) Innovation/creativity in the presentation of Latin American content
© Involvement in professional development and/or community engagement related to Latin America (i.e., the nominee seeks opportunities to learn about/engage with the region).

(2) Supporting information from the nominees, including:
(a) Résumé
(b) Evidence of how they have integrated Latin American content into their classes, including their approach to the teaching of Latin America and how it has helped students attain the goals of the class (1–2 pages)
© One letter of support from a department chair, team leader, curriculum specialist, or supervisor
(d) Other documentation (e.g., excerpts from the lesson, student work, professional development presentation), as appropriate.

Applicants should be advised that their name, email address, and school affiliation may be entered in a CLASP directory of K-12 educators and their curriculum materials incorporated into a CLASP database of K-12 resources. Both the directory and database will be made available to CLASP members with the intention of developing a nationwide network of K-12 educators and resources. The applicants themselves may also be added to a listserv related to this initiative, which would facilitate direct resource sharing and collaboration with their colleagues across the country.

Applications will be reviewed and evaluated for teaching skills, development of innovative teaching materials and strategies, leadership, and professional development accomplishments. Nominations will be accepted through December 15, 2016.

Please email the nomination materials to Keira Philipp-Schnurer, Outreach Committee Chair, at kphilipp@unm.edu.

The winner will be announced in Spring 2017 and will be awarded a $500 cash prize.