Announcement for the CLASS Awards in 2024
Announcement for the CLASS Awards in 2024
Submission deadline: June 30, 2024
The CLASS Awards Committee is delighted to announce The Yao Memorial Award for
Outstanding New Teacher and Outstanding Chinese Teacher Award for 2024. The
committee will be accepting applications through June 30, 2024. The final selection of the award
recipients for both CLASS awards will be announced at the annual CLASS Luncheon on
Saturday, November 23, 2024, which is held in conjunction with the 2024 ACTFL Convention at
the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia from November 22 through November 24,
2024.
We highly encourage qualified teachers to consider submitting applications according to the
instructions below for both awards. CLASS accepts both self-nomination and/or a nomination
made by a school administrator or colleague in the profession. All applicants will be honored and
gain visibility for their school and/or district for their excellent efforts and support in promoting
and advocating the teaching and the learning of Chinese language and culture in K-12 schools.
Your dedication and commitment to teaching Chinese as a new teacher not only provides
opportunities for your students and your professional growth, but also serves to create a more
diverse, tolerant, and empathetic environment for our schools and communities. CLASS
cordially invites you to apply for this award as we celebrate and take pride in our teaching
profession at the national level during the annual ACTFL Convention.
Please collect and submit all your application materials/documents in one package via email to
classk12awards@gmail.com by June 30, 2024. The CLASS Awards committee will
acknowledge the acceptance of your submission by July 5, 2024. Please note that any incomplete
application missing documents will not be accepted. The award recipient(s) will be notified via
e-mail by or before September 1, 2024. The award recipient is responsible for making their own
travel arrangements to attend the CLASS sponsored sessions at the 2024 ACTFL Convention in
Philadelphia. ACTFL will post additional details as they become available, including if the
convention is to be held virtually (in which case, the award recipient should prepare to accept the
award virtually online).
The Yao Memorial Award for Outstanding New Teacher
姚道中优秀新教师奖
The Yao Memorial Award for Outstanding New Teacher recognizes an individual of the Chinese
teaching profession who has been teaching in K-12 public or independent schools for less than 5
years and is currently in at least a half time position. This individual must demonstrate
excellence and passion in teaching Chinese language and culture. All members of CLASS,
except for current CLASS officers and members of the elected Board of Directors, are eligible
for the award. This award consists of a plaque in recognition of their excellence in teaching, a
one-year CLASS membership and a scholarship amount that is equivalent to the ACTFL
Convention advance registration fee for 2024.
To apply, please submit the following materials/documents in one application package via email
to classk12awards@gmail.com by June 30, 2024.
● A cover letter indicating the applicant’s personal information such as name, address,
school name and address, principal’s name and email contact, and proof of the
applicant’s CLASS membership in the current year of the application. (You may print out
a copy of your CLASS member card by logging into your personal account via the
CLASS membership site.)
● An up-to-date curriculum vitae that indicates total years of service in the Chinese
teaching field and employment history.
● A one-page professional statement detailing your teaching philosophy and inspirations.
● An unedited 10–15-minute unedited video sample of a snapshot of your current
classroom teaching. Any video that has been edited will not be accepted. The video
should be from the current school year and be a lesson taught in person to students (not
online).
Please also submit the following with your classroom teaching video:
● A lesson plan describing the lesson in your classroom teaching video. The lesson
plan should include world language standards covered and assessments used.
● Your self-reflection/critique of the video sample.
● Two recommendation letters from colleagues with at least one of the letters from a
mentor teacher or a supervisor about your professional growth to become a role-model
for other new teachers in the K-12 Chinese teaching field.
Outstanding Chinese Teacher Award
全美优秀中文教师奖
The Outstanding Chinese Teacher Award recognizes an individual of the Chinese teaching
profession who is currently in practice and has held a full-time position for at least 5 years. This
individual has demonstrated excellence in teaching Chinese language and culture to students at
K-12 schools in the United States. All members of CLASS, except for current CLASS officers
and members of the elected Board of Directors, are eligible for the award. This award consists of
a plaque in recognition of their excellence in teaching and a one-year CLASS membership.
To apply please submit the following materials/documents in one application package via e-mail
to classk12awards@gmail.com by June 30, 2024.
• A cover letter indicating the applicant’s personal information such as name, address, school
name and address, principal’s name and email contact, and a proof of the applicant’s CLASS
membership in the current year of the application. (You may print out a copy of your
CLASS member card by logging into your personal account via CLASS membership site.)
• An up-to-date curriculum vitae that indicates total years of service in the Chinese teaching field
and employment history.
• A one-page professional statement detailing your teaching philosophy and inspirations.
● An unedited 10–15-minute unedited video sample of a snapshot of your current
classroom teaching. The video should be for an in person teaching lesson. Any video that
has been edited will not be accepted.
Please also submit the following with your classroom teaching video:
● A lesson plan describing the lesson in your classroom teaching video. The lesson
plan should include world language standards covered and assessments used.
● Your self-reflection/critique of the video sample.
• Two recommendation letters from colleagues or supervisors.
