Klingenstein Teacher Award

Celebrate great teaching

Nominations are now open for the 2021 Klingenstein Teacher Award! Honor an exceptional teacher in your school with a nomination by June 15, 2021.

The recipient will receive a $5,000 cash prize, be honored during the EL Education 2021 Virtual Summit in the fall, and receive speaking and writing opportunities in the future.

Nominate a teacher

To nominate a teacher for the Klingenstein Teacher Award, please complete the form fields and upload a letter of support and evidence (i.e. testimonials and/or example of student work.)

Alternatively, you can email the materials to awards@eleducation.org

Nominee name:

Nominee title/role:

Nominee email:

School:

School Leader Name:

Upload a letter explaining how your nominee exemplifies the award criteria. The letter should be 1-2 pages and signed by at least 2 teachers.File Upload

Upload evidence that further illustrates the nominee’s qualifications, like an example of student work, testimonials, etc.File Upload

Please provide your first name

Please provide your last name

Please provide your city

Please provide your state

Please provide your organization (school, district, employer)

Please provide a valid email address

Thank you!

Award Criteria

The Klingenstein Teacher Award is presented annually to a teacher who is judged by their peers to have most successfully transmitted to students the essence of EL Education: building exemplary character, driving outstanding academic achievement, and instilling an ethic of “citizen scholarship.”

Teachers should:

Instill in students a desire to learn, take responsibility for their own education and achieve good academic results;
Inspire students’ participation in good citizenship in its broader sense, as well as inside the classroom, in the school and as part of the greater community; and
Model the value of “We are crew, not passengers,” promoting equity, teamwork, and service in their classrooms and schools.

Eligibility

Teachers whose schools or districts are in active partnership with EL Education are eligible, including current, full-time classroom teachers, teacher leaders, building-based coaches, and instructional guides.

Nomination Process

To nominate a teacher at your school, please submit the following:

Letter of support for your candidate. Letters should be 1-2 pages and signed by at least two teachers.
Evidence to further illustrate your nominee’s qualifications. This could include an example of student work; testimonials from students, parents or the district; or a video of classroom practice. Different file formats are welcome; there is no expectation to create something new.

These materials can be submitted through the nomination form that is embedded in this webpage, or emailed directly to awards@ELeducation.org. The deadline is Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Self nominations are not permitted.

Notes: For finalists, the EL Education Awards team will contact school leaders to request a letter of support. After the award recipients have been selected and announced, all nominees will be sent their nomination letters.

Tips for your nomination

Strong nomination letters describe how your candidate meets each of the award criteria.

Selection

Recipients are selected by a committee of distinguished educators, appointed annually by EL Education. EL Education staff are not on the selection committees.

Timeline

Nominations open: April 20 - June 15
Review & Selection Process: July
Contact with nominees: August
Winner announced: September
EL Education Virtual Summit: October 28-29

More Information

Please see our Educator Awards FAQ or email awards@eleducation.org. To nominate an exceptional school leader, learn about the Silverberg Leadership Award.