Teaching Excellence Award for Cultivating Community
This award celebrates educators who intentionally build supportive, welcoming, and collaborative learning environments where all students feel valued and connected. Recipients demonstrate how they cultivate trust, respect, and a sense of belonging, thereby enhancing motivation, engagement, and teamwork among students and colleagues.
| Category | Exemplary Evidence (4 pts) | Strong Evidence (3 pts) | Some Evidence (2 pts) | Minimal Evidence (1 pt) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching Philosophy and Reflection (20%) | Clearly explains how trust, collaboration, and connection enhance learning; reflection shows responsiveness to different student needs and ties practice to outcomes. | Highlights community and collaboration with relevant examples; reflects on benefits for engagement. | General statements about collaboration with limited examples or reflection. | Minimal reference to community; reflection lacks specificity. |
| Teaching Materials and Practices (35%) | Materials intentionally foster connection (structured collaboration, dialogue guides, co-created norms); practices promote respect and shared responsibility; design intent is clear. | Materials show solid efforts to build peer connection and participation. | Some community-building elements are present but not well-integrated or consistent. | Few or no strategies to promote connection, collaboration, or trust. |
| Evidence of Student Impact (35%) | Strong evidence shows increased engagement, participation, sense of belonging, or peer support linked to community practices. | Clear indications of improved collaboration or connection among students. | Some indications of collaboration/belonging, but linkage to practices is limited. | Minimal or unclear evidence of community-related impact. |
| Innovation and Growth (10%) | Shows innovation in community-building and reflective refinement; may contribute to teaching circles or share approaches with colleagues. | Evidence of experimentation and adjustment to strengthen community. | Limited examples of innovation or reflection in this area. | Minimal evidence of growth or reflection. |
