Awards

NCTE Outstanding Elementary Educator in the English Language Arts Award

Award Details

Nomination Deadline Extended: April 1, 2024

Purpose:
Established in 1995 to recognize a distinguished national or international educator who has made major contributions to the field of language arts in elementary education.

Award Criteria:
Nominees must have dramatically influenced literacy classroom practice, made ongoing contributions to the field of literacy, obtained national and/or international influence in literacy teaching and learning, and contributed a body of work that is compatible with the mission of NCTE.

Eligibility:

Recipients of this award should be elementary educators (e.g., preK–12 classroom teachers, higher education faculty) in elementary education with a history of influencing preK-6 classroom literacy practice. They embody antiracist, culturally sustaining, asset-based teaching and research approaches that are moving our work forward in creating inclusive, humanizing classrooms that center multiple identities, languages, and literacies.

Nomination Requirements: 

Required materials for submission are a nomination questionnaire and a resume/CV.

Award Criteria:

Dramatically influenced literacy classroom practice:

• Translating research into practical application in preK-6 classrooms nationally and/or internationally
• Producing a body of work including but not limited to journal articles, textbooks, professional texts, blogs, podcasts, and videos that are accessible to practicing preK-6 educators

Significant contributions to NCTE:

• Service and leadership roles in NCTE (e.g., regional, national, and local)
• Writing and Presenting at NCTE and other affiliated conferences (e.g., Languages and Literacies for All – LLA) in the area of language and literacy

Development of our professional community: 

• Developing district/state/national curriculum
• Research and publish alongside community members
• Supporting the personal and professional development of preK-6 pre-service teachers, classroom teachers, literacy coaches, teacher educators, caregivers, and communities
• Advocacy of law, policy, and instructional practices that influence and advance understanding of and systemic action toward equitable, antiracist, and anti-bias learning environments

Mission and Vision of NCTE:

• The recipient’s teaching, service and/or scholarship is compatible with the mission and vision of NCTE.
  • Deepen every student’s consciousness and widen possibilities for all students’ access, power, agency, affiliation, and impact, across a lifetime.

Selection Committee:

The Elementary Section Steering Committee will elicit nominations for this award from NCTE membership. Members of the ESSC will read and discuss application materials and select the award recipient using the award criteria. Only one nomination may be submitted per member.

Award Specifics:
The award is presented at the Elementary Section Get-Together during the NCTE Annual Convention on Thursday evening of the convention. The recipient will receive a plaque commemorating the award.