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COFLT Teacher Of the Year (TOY)

The COFLT Teacher of the Year Award recognizes COFLT members whose solid record includes the elements below:

  1. Promoting World Language study within and beyond the school community.
  2. Displaying innovative approaches and modeling creativity in the teaching of world languages, including sharing, networking and mentoring of colleagues.
  3. Promoting excellence and inspiring students.
  4. Creating a superior program for their department.
  5. Striving to promote greater cultural awareness, intercultural understanding, and the celebration of diversity within the classroom and school communities.
  6. Building a positive classroom community of language learners. 

Candidates must be a current COFLT member and a current world language teacher. Following ACTFL's guidelines "Successful candidates must be full-time language educators who spend at least fifty-percent (50%) of their time in direct teaching during the year of application with an expectation of teaching during the next two (2) years." 

Only COFLT members may be nominated or self-nominate. Nominee must have been a member of COFLT for a minimum of three consecutive years.

For submission, timeline, and process information, please read below. 


Not sure who to nominate?  Think of a colleague who inspires or motivates you, who is passionate about language teaching, who contributes to the profession in meaningful ways (large or small). Nomination form. 

Deadline for COFLT TOY nominations is April 1.  ONLY applications submitted via the COFLT website will be considered for COFLT awards.  All inquiries and contact regarding awards should be sent to:  cofltawards@gmail.com

SUBMISSION information:

Nomination

Nominate or self-nominate by April 1st (extended to May 1st, 2023). The nomination documents for this award include:

  1. a nomination form
  2. a statement from the nominee of acceptance if nominated (1-2 lines)
  3. a CV/Resume
  4. two letters of support. 

In order to be considered for the COFLT Teacher of the Year (TOY) Award, the following items must be completed and submitted to cofltawards@gmail.com as a single PDF file no later than 4:00 p.m. on April 1 of each year (extended to May 1st, 2023).   

Three nominees will be selected to move their application forward. The selected nominees will be asked to submit additional documentation. 

REQUIREMENTS for selected nominees
A. Application form 

B. Headshot

C. Three letters of recommendations 

  1. Professional Supervisor (not to exceed one page)

  2. Colleague (not to exceed one page)

  3. Current or former parent or student (not to exceed one page)

D. Curriculum Vitae (not to exceed 5 pages)

E. First-person statement on the value of learning language and culture (not to exceed 500 words)

F. Personal responses to the following questions (not to exceed 250 words per question):

  1. How do you address the national standards in your instruction?

  2. How do you use and promote target language communication in your classroom?

  3. How do you integrate culture into instruction and assessment?

TEACHER OF THE YEAR INTERVIEW PROCESS

Interviews will take place mid-September via Zoom.  Interviews will be conducted from 3:00–5:00 p.m. You will be notified ahead of time via email of the specific day and time for your interview.

INTERVIEWS WILL BE COMPOSED OF TWO PARTS

  1. Questions and Answers (ten minutes) – You will answer questions by the selection committee. Questions will be based on the following topics:

    1. Personal background

    2. National and state foreign language standards and proficiency levels.

    3. Professional involvement

    4. Value of language learning

  2. Mock press conference (five minutes) – You will give a three to five minute press conference to a civic group or other outside organization


Timeline

  • April 1 (extended to May 1st, 2023):  Nominations (self or others) to the COFLT TOY
  • June 20: Selection of top three, invite to progress to the next stage. 

  • First week of August: Application materials due to the Awards committee

  • Between September 14 to September 18, 2020: Applicant interviews (Zoom)

  • First week in November: Announcement of COFLT TOY

  • If selected as the COFLT TOY, nominations must be submitted to PNCFL by January 15. 

Recent COFLT TOYs


 Year Name Institution
 2015 Isabelle Corneaux George Fox University
 2016 Rita Barrett
 Portland Adventist Academy
 2017 Miiko Suzuki
 Winston Churchill High School
 2017 Molly MacGregor
 Evergreen High School
 2021 Natalie Stamper  Lewis & Clark
 2022 Tanja Langen South Salem High School


More about Teacher of the Year

COFLT to PNCFL

The COFLT TOY will compete at the regional level with TOYs from each Pacific NW state.  One of these TOYs will be awarded the Pacific Northwest Council For Languages (PNCFL) TOY. The State of Oregon is allowed to submit one (1) name for consideration for the Pacific Northwest Council for Languages (PNCFL) Teacher of the Year award.  In order to be eligible for this award, the nominee must have been a member of PNCFL for at least three years (bonus: membership in COFLT confers membership in PNCFL!).

Each nomination must be submitted before 5:00 pm Pacific time on January 15 following PNCFL instructions. For more information, please go to the PNCFL website.

PNCFL to ACTFL

PNCFL is allowed to submit one (1) name for consideration for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Teacher of the Year award. This person will then compete with other regional TOYS at the national level as the National Language Teacher of the Year selected by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). 

More information can be found following ACTFL's Teacher of the Year Program. 

Contact COFLT:
email us: cofltoregon at gmail com
COFLT,  A-153, Pacific University, 2043 College Way, Forest Grove OR 97116
COFLT is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. 

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