Let’s Recognize Teachers’ Accomplishments

by Patricia L. Schall

Do you know teachers whose work calls for recognition? These teachers could be colleagues, friends, student teachers, or you! We invite you to nominate teachers whose work you respect or consider recognizing yourself for all the good work you do every day.

NJCTE honors teachers with the following awards:

The NJCTE Outstanding Educator of the Year Award is presented annually to an exceptional English/language arts educator — a dedicated, innovative, dynamic Pre-K-12 teacher, university teacher, supervisor, or administrator — whose activities have significantly and widely impacted New Jersey English language arts education. The selected educator becomes eligible as well for a coveted New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education. The individual can be at any point in his or her career. Due date for application: March 1, 2019.

The M. Jerry Weiss Early Career Teacher Award is named in honor of Dr. M. Jerry Weiss, Distinguished Service Professor of Communications Emeritus at New Jersey City University. Jerry has had an important influence on literacy in New Jersey, as well as the greater nation. A nationally recognized expert in the field of children’s and adolescent literature and a pioneer in the area of Whole Language, Dr. Weiss taught at New Jersey City University for 33 years before retiring in 1994. This recognition is given to teachers at any grade level, P-12. Applicants must be currently teaching from one to five years. Due date for application: March 1, 2019.

The Marcia Holtzman Preservice Teacher Award is named in honor of Marcia Holtzman, an instrumental contributor to NJCTE, whose service to the organization was long and extensive. Holtzman retired as an assistant superintendent of the Metuchen Public School system and remains active as a volunteer writing teacher in Metuchen. Preservice undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in teacher education programs are encouraged to apply. Due date for application: March 1, 2019.

Check the NJCTE website for criteria governing each award, application requirements, expectations for awardees, and benefits. Note due dates. We encourage you to honor others or yourself. Many teachers earn recognition but don’t always receive it. Here’s your chance to reward good teaching. The awards will be presented at the NJCTE Annual Spring Conference.

Congratulations to Marcia Holtzman Pre-Service Teacher Award Winner: Evan Dickerson

Please join all of us at NJCTE in congratulating Evan Dickerson, one of the 2018 Marcia Holtzman Pre-Service Teacher Award Winners.

Evan Dickerson is a writer, filmmaker, and emerging educator with a passion for storytelling. From a young age, he’s been enraptured with the art of narrative. He graduated summa cum laude from Montclair State University’s B.F.A. filmmaking program where he focused on screenwriting. His work developing original feature and television scripts garnered the attention of MSU’s School of Communication and Media who presented him with the 2014 Award for Excellence in Screenwriting. Evan has worked as a freelance writer, story editor, and production manager for various films throughout the New Jersey area. He’s also worked for Montclair Film’s education program since 2015 as a filmmaking and screenwriting instructor. He currently serves as Montclair Film’s curriculum coordinator, where he develops hands-on workshops, maintains the school’s high-tech media lab, and works closely with instructors to provide students with the most engaging and meaningful instruction.

It was during his time working with students aged eight-to-eighty that he found an affinity for teaching, and decided to return to Montclair State for a B.A. in English and an M.A.T. in Secondary English Education. Evan is currently completing his fieldwork at Bloomfield High School where he enjoys spreading the love of literature, art, and film with students eager to tell their own stories. As an educator, Evan’s goal is to synthesize technology and high-interest, hyper-relevant texts to foster a love of reading and writing while also promoting literacy, particularly in our digital age.

When he’s not in the classroom, you can find Evan at the movies, on the golf course, or in a pretentious little cafe, sipping free-trade coffee, while working on his next screenplay.

We look forward to Evan’s contributions to NJCTE and to his continued success in both film and English education.

If you have a teacher whom you would like to nominate for this or another NJCTE award, please check out the criteria and nomination process on our website.

Posted by Audrey Fisch, blog editor for NJCTE

New Jersey Council of Teachers of English, the New Jersey state affiliate of NCTE, the National Council of Teachers of English