The PhysTEC Teacher of the Year award celebrates the outstanding efforts of in-service high school teachers in physics teacher education at both the local and national levels. By elevating exemplary teacher leaders, we increase the visibility of their work and the physics teacher education programs they support. By providing national recognition, we also recognize the efforts of physics teacher education programs and reinforce the mission our Member Institutions serve.
Teacher of the Year Award Process
We are now accepting nominations for 2024 PhysTEC Teacher of the Year. The award is conferred to multiple individuals at the local level and one individual at the national level. You may use this form to nominate an outstanding teacher leader or self-nominate. The nomination deadline is August 30, 2024.
Eligibility
Nominees for PhysTEC Teacher of the Year must be currently employed as an in-service teacher at the secondary level in the classroom at least half-time AND have at least three years of full-time employment as a classroom teacher at the secondary level by the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.
Nominees may be awarded the local PhysTEC Teacher of the Year each year. The national award is conferred only once per individual.
Award Rubric
Nominations for 2024 PhysTEC Teacher of the Year will be evaluated on three categories of activity.
- Support for in-service HS physics teachers (e.g., leading workshops, coordinating professional development, mentoring in-service teachers, helping recruit physics teachers to the area)
- Support for pre-service HS physics teachers (e.g., hosting pre-service teachers in their classroom, mentoring teaching interns, teaching or speaking at a post-secondary teacher education course, helping recruit undergraduates into teaching programs, working with a post-secondary institution to enhance their support of pre- and in-service teachers)
- Education of a diverse group of future physics undergraduates (e.g., helping increase overall physics-taking rate at their school/district/state, reducing representation gaps in HS physics course enrollment, supporting HS to college transition)
Paul Zitzewitz Award for Excellence in Teaching
AAPT is now accepting nominations for the Paul Zitzewitz Award for Excellence in Teaching, recognizing outstanding achievement in teaching K-12 physics. If you know an AAPT member who is an exceptional physics teacher, nominate them today!