Awards

NCTE Outstanding Middle Level Educator in the English Language Arts Award

Award Recipient: Caitlin O’Connor

Cait O’Connor is an eighth grade English/ENL teacher in Larchmont, New York. She has taught grades 8–12 in various Regents, honors, AP, and elective course capacities, and focuses her practice as a middle school educator on areas of equity, social justice, body liberation, and building community. She is a middle school GSA advisor, Sign Language Club advisor, and an advocate for LGBTQIA+ youth, size inclusivity, mental health, peer-community engagement, and disability justice. 

Award Details

Nomination Deadline: May 1

Purpose:
To recognize exceptional English language arts teachers of grades 6–8 who have demonstrated excellence in teaching English language arts and inspired a spirit of inquiry and a love of learning in their students. 

Eligibility:
Nominees should be full-time English language arts teachers of students in grades 6–8 (“full-time” is defined as that school district’s standard number of contact hours with students) who have taught for at least five years in a public or private school in the United States, its territories, or Canada. Nominees do not have to be a member of NCTE to be nominated, and they may be nominated by a supervisor, teaching peer, student, parent, or any individual who has worked closely with the nominee and can provide credible evidence of their achievements; self-nominations are accepted. 

Award Criteria:
Nominees should demonstrate exceptional abilities in these categories: 

• Fostering a spirit of inquiry and a love of learning 
• Utilizing scholarship from literature, writing, or other appropriate fields 
• Utilizing the twelve interrelated NCTE content standards 
• Participating in professional activities such as workshops, curriculum development, committees, other association activities, and the like. 

Award Specifics:
The award recipient is presented with a plaque and invited to speak at the Middle Level Section Luncheon during the NCTE Annual Convention. 

Deadline:
The Nomination Form must be submitted by May 1, 2024. Finalists will be identified and contacted by May 17, 2024, and asked to submit their supporting materials by June 7, 2024, for continued consideration. 

Submit a Nomination

To nominate an educator for this award, the following items are required: 

• Nomination Form—Including basic information about the nominee and their teaching context. 
• Nominator Narrative—Not to exceed one page in PDF form. The Nominator should detail examples of the nominee’s exemplary English language arts teaching, and fit for the award. The primary Nominator must be an individual who works or has worked directly with the nominee in their capacity as an educator, including but not limited to colleagues, supervisors/administrators, parents, or students. 
• Additional Letter of Support—Not to exceed one page in PDF form. An additional nomination letter from a second individual who is able to speak to the nominee’s merits and strengths as an English language arts educator. Please note that at least one nomination letter / letter of support must be from a supervisor or teaching peer / colleague. 

Once the Award Committee reviews nominations, a limited number of finalists will be invited to submit a portfolio for second-round consideration (nominees do not need to complete or submit these materials prior to, or at the time of, nomination). This portfolio will include:   

• Nominee Narrative—Not to exceed two pages in PDF format. Nominee should detail their approach to  English language arts teaching and how it exemplifies the NCTE standards. 
• Nominee’s Teaching Schedule—Up to 1,000 characters including spaces. A copy of the nominee’s schedule outlining a typical teaching day/week. The information provided should be as detailed as possible to represent the nominee’s responsibilities during the teaching day/week. 
• Nominee’s Résumé (PDF document) 

Submit a Nomination

Judging:

An award committee selected by the Middle Level Section Steering Committee determines the recipient from nomination applications submitted during the year. As noted above, nominations will be reviewed, and from this pool, selected finalists will be contacted and asked to submit a portfolio. An Awardee will be selected from these finalists, with all finalists recognized at the Middle Level Section Luncheon.  

For full consideration, nominations must be received no later than May 1. Middle Level Section Steering Committee members are not eligible for this award during their tenure.