Recognising excellent teachers

How do we know our excellent teachers? Many are often reluctant to promote themselves to their colleagues, preferring instead to quietly continue doing what they do best: engaging their students in a positive and dynamic learning process. Is the appreciation of the students sufficient recognition? Can we do more? Should we do more?

How do we identify our excellent teachers? While some will be recognized and noted in Teaching Excellence Awards, there are many nominees who do not continue to engage with the nomination process. There may be many reasons for non-participation, including a lack of time, a reluctance to promote one's self, and uncertainty that their teaching is anything other than "standard practice". However, by withdrawing from the process of nomination, many excellent teachers may be reducing their contribution to promotion of excellent teaching more broadly within their own community.

Excellent teachers need to be known, acknowledged and engaged in the process of sharing their good practice. With the introduction of academic portfolios, there is the potential to generate some very positive sharing of teaching strategies, outcomes and approaches. Regular fora in which teachers share ideas can both generate recognition and disseminate good practice. They also serve to identify role models for less experienced staff. The opportunity to observe good teaching, seek guidance on strategies, and discuss teaching problems can be enabled with the identification and public acknowledgement of good teachers.

There are many ways in which good teachers can be celebrated and acknowledged in their local teaching communities. For example, some schools generate their own award ceremonies to recognise their good teachers. Excellent teachers may be placed in key leadership roles, where they can offer guidance and support to other staff. Also, schools may provide rewards in the forms of conference attendance, grants and development opportunities. Increasingly, excellent teachers are encouraged to seek promotion based on their major contribution to student learning.

It is important to recognise our excellent teachers. Their contribution to learning outcomes is increasingly critical as the tertiary sector moves towards a stronger fee-for-learning basis. In this environment, we need to ensure we know who our excellent teachers are - whether they gain public recognition or not. Therein lies a challenge: how do we identify those who teach well? Furthermore, how do we celebrate and share that expertise once it is identified?