Does Your Teacher Measure Up? – Criteria for ABTA Teacher of the Year

This year there will be regional winners who will be the subfinalists for the Teacher of the Year award which will be given out at the spring NABC ABTA meeting in Memphis.

The quality of the teachers who participate in this event each year is amazing.  So does your teacher measure up?  To be eiligible:

Eligibility:

• Bridge teacher for at least 5 years
• A member of the ACBL OR ABA
• A member of ABTA or prepared to join the ABTA if nominated
• Must teach at least 75 hours a year (e.g. 2 hours a week for 38 weeks or 3 hours a week for 25 weeks) etc.

Criteria for Nomination

A. Teaching excellence (50%)

• student response or recommendations
• percentage of students who join organized bridge games
• quality of material used in courses especially personally developed material
• recommendation of other teachers or bridge professionals
• rationale provided by nominator(s)
• original written material used in teaching students

B. Innovation (25%)

• Demonstration of innovation associated with bridge teaching or bridge promotion including but not limited to:
  • Bridge teaching methods
  • Reaching out to youth
  • Teaching seniors
  • Teaching material
  • Course content and approach
  • Promotion of bridge
  • Promotion of teacher
  • Use of the Internet

C. Service To Bridge (20%)

This will be based on evidence such as:

• promotion of bridge and their own services through newsletters, websites, columns in print media, TV, or web etc.
• role in organizing events for students but also for all players such as tournaments
• establishing or participating in programs to teach bridge to young people
• all attempts to build the bridge community, encourage participation in bridge games, tournaments, online and in person, membership in the ACBL or ABA
• mentoring including mentoring students or other teachers or directors
• building local bridge clubs and bridge games
• encouraging students to participate in tournaments and to travel to them if possible
• any and all efforts which will help to promote the game of bridge and/or the services of the teacher

D. Service To The Community (5%)

• All volunteer activities but especially those related to bridge.  This could include donating services in teaching or running games
• Organizing and participating in charitable events with a focus on those associated with bridge but other charity activities will be considered.
• All efforts associated with raising money for bridge (e.g. money for youth, international teams, promotion of bridge) etc.
• Any other demonstrable activities which help the community in which that person resides whether bridge related or not and whether paid or not.

From my personal experience the teachers who become finalists have wonderfully innovative teaching techniques such as visual aids like hats, guns and stop signs.  They have many very enthusiastic students who are very willing to share with anybody their belief in their teacher including a Texas whoop.   The teaching material may borrow from many sources but it is organized and original.  They have built a bridge community around them.  They are mentors and friends to their students.  And much more …

Congratulations to all the finalists from 2010, 2011 and I look forward to meeting the 2012 class.