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Humanities Texas is pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for our 2012–2013 Outstanding Teaching Awards. Humanities Texas will present a total of fifteen awards to exceptional Texas teachers.
Twelve teachers across the state will be selected to receive the Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award.
One Texas history teacher will be selected to receive the Linden Heck Howell Outstanding Teaching of Texas History Award, an award established in memory of Ms. Howell, former chair of the Humanities Texas Board of Directors, as a lasting tribute to her service to the organization and her commitment to the study of Texas history.
Two additional teachers will be selected for the new Award for Outstanding Early-Career Teaching. This award recognizes exemplary contributions of early-career humanities teachers in Texas elementary, middle, and high schools who have completed three or fewer years of teaching.
Recipients in all three award categories will receive $5,000, with an additional $500 for their schools to purchase humanities-based instructional materials.
For more information on the awards, including eligibility and nomination instructions, please visit the awards page.
On September 17, Constitution Day, U.S. Congressman Lamar Smith joined Michael L. Gillette, executive director of Humanities Texas, and Liz James, coordinator of educational programs, to present Deborah Magnon-Nolting of Universal City with an Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award.
Magnon-Nolting, who teaches government, economics, and world geography at Randolph High School, also serves as social studies department chair.
"Mrs. Magnon-Nolting is a vital part of the fabric of the Randolph Learning Community," said Randolph Field Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Billy Walker. "She is an outstanding educator who is not only extremely and profoundly knowledgeable in the humanities subjects she teaches, [but also] has the technical skills needed to ensure that each of her students learns the subject matter."
In her classroom, Mrs. Magnon-Nolting peppers her engaging lessons with artifacts, music, primary documents, literature, maps, charts, pictures, multimedia resources, and oral history to inspire her students and develop their love of learning.
Her hands-on classroom activities include mock trials, role-playing activities, and classroom visits from veterans, Holocaust survivors, and other significant speakers.
"All of these activities have provided the students with opportunities to research, explore, and analyze primary documents; practice higher level thinking skills; develop an interest, knowledge base, and appreciation for the humanities; and apply the information to situations and issues in the real world, all of which are essential skills for an informed and responsible citizen," said Mrs. Magnon-Nolting.