Giving Compass' Take:

• The Big Apple Awards are given to teachers who are exemplary in their field of instruction and have shown success with student learning and achievement. 

• Why is it important to value teachers and make sure they get celebrations like these?  

• Read about why we need teachers, especially in the wake of EdTech designs and changes coming to school classrooms. 

New York City has named 17 teachers winners of Big Apple Awards, a competitive prize that rewards “exceptional success” in instruction, impact on student learning, and overall contributions to school communities. The winners were culled from a pool of more than 6,500 nominees. Here are some of the winners:

Nina Berman (Early Childhood Education Teacher, LYFE Program at Pathways to Graduation Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn).  Ms. Berman employed a new online app that allowed her to interact with parents on a daily basis in order to strengthen the connection between home and school, which has now been adopted in all LYFE classrooms.

Nicole Chu (Middle School English Language Arts Teacher, The Computer School, Manhattan) Nicole Chu empowers her students by expanding their learning beyond the limits of their classroom. Three years ago, she took the initiative to start an “all school meeting” where a rotating group of 8th grade leaders and faculty facilitators meet monthly to discuss important issues that students wanted to address.

Damen Davis (6th Grade English and Language Arts Teacher, I.S. X303 Leadership & Community Service, Bronx) To overcome challenges his students faced outside of the classroom and at home, Damen Davis began reaching out to school support staff, contacted his students’ former elementary school teachers, and their out-of-school coaches, and when appropriate, met with parents. His students began to see him everywhere and they saw the investment and belief he had in them.

Read the full article about teachers nominated for exceptionalism by Alex Zimmerman at Chalkbeat