2018-2019 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year
General Information
The Massachusetts Teacher of the Year is an exemplary teacher who will serve as a liaison to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and as an ambassador to other teachers in the Commonwealth.
The Teacher of the Year must also demonstrate:
• A proven track record of meeting students’ needs in order to further student growth and achievement;
• Instructional leadership in his/her classroom in addition to being a respected member of and contributor to the larger school and district community; and
• Respect for and nuanced understanding of the different perspectives that contribute to high quality education--including those of colleagues, administration, parents, students, and policymakers.
Opportunities for the Teacher of the Year:
• The Teacher of the Year (TOY) will have the opportunity to serve as an ambassador for the teaching profession, which will include public speaking and writing opportunities. This is a chance for the TOY to share ideas and to learn from others; it is not the expectation that the TOY speaks on behalf of all teachers. Rather, the TOY should reflect an understanding for the various perspectives that exists among teachers. The TOY maintains full time teaching responsibilities.The TOY and other recognized educators will have the opportunity to participate in a summer workshop to build their expertise in sharing their stories with the public and media, and to gain a better understanding of state policy and receive opportunities to collaborate with other outstanding educators. The TOY will be a member of ESE’s Educator Effectiveness Teacher Advisory Cabinet.
• Contingent upon the National program and funding, along with the other states’ teachers of the year, the MA TOY attends a 5-day National Teacher of the Year Conference, travels to Washington, DC for a week to participate in numerous recognition activities and to meet the President, spends a week at Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, and after the TOY's official year ends, attends a “Next Steps” Conference in Princeton, NJ.
• The Massachusetts TOY becomes the state's candidate for the National Teacher of the Year Program. The National Teacher of the Year spends a year out of the classroom traveling across, and out of, the country.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to be eligible, teachers/co-teachers must:
• Have completed at least four years of teaching experience;
• Spend the majority of the school day in direct instruction of students;
• Possess an active and valid Massachusetts teaching license for the subject and grade level taught;
• Teach in a public school or Department approved adult learning center; and
• Be a full-time teacher.
NOTE: Co-teachers must teach in the same classroom at the same time and be responsible for the same students. Each co-teacher needs to submit an individual candidate information form, resumé and photograph, but may collaborate and submit one response for each of the four essays.