Trump Master Teacher Award 2014

In 2012 the Trump Master Teacher Award was launched in order to recognize excellent teaching of mathematics and the sciences. The award aims to convey to the public a clearer sense of what constitutes effective teaching. Our intention is to reward and celebrate master teachers of mathematics and the sciences, and introduce them to the public as role models, demonstrating that high quality teaching exists in Israel, while igniting discussion around the question: ‘What constitutes excellent teaching?’

The inaugural award was won by Mr. Nikolai Shvarts, a high school teacher of physics and mathematics for more than twenty years, who teaches at the Ort Arad High School. Shvarts was presented the award by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Minister of Education at the time, Gideon Sa’ar.

In March 2013 we launched a second cycle of the award to the professional community and via public media, attracting 47 candidates from across the country. Twenty candidates were selected in a first stage of screening, and 5 were chosen to reach the final stage. The finalists were filmed while teaching in their classroom, and then interviewed by the committee.

The Selection committee, chaired by Ms. Karen Tal, including former Director General of the Ministry of Education, Ms. Dalit Stauber, and Dr. Abir Abed, winner of an honorable mention in the 2012 Award, decided to present the 2013 Award to Mr. Kobi Shvarzbord, a high school physics teacher for 16 years, and head of Science and Technology at the Leo Baeck High School in Haifa. The prize committee also recommended an honorable mention to finalists Iris Kahana, a mathematics teacher from Netanya and Danny Ovadia, a physics teacher from Misgav, for their excellent work. The winners will be presented the award by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Minister of Education, Shai Piron, in a formal ceremony at the Prime Minister’s office on December 18^th 2013.

Of note this year was the public engagement via social networks, reaching 7,800 ‘followers’ on Facebook.  Members of the public were encouraged to write about their excellent teachers, and there was an Instagram photography competition for students called: “Me and My Teacher” to create a buzz around the Award. Current and past students actively shared their endorsements, memories, and warm words of appreciation, and hundreds viewed and commented on the short films we made about the five finalists. The post announcing the winner was exposed to more than 55,000 people.

In 2014, we intend to hold a third cycle of the prize.  Lessons learned during the second round will be implemented, including an earlier start for the cycle, giving more time for applications and processing; a wider dissemination of the call for candidates; and allowing school principals and education ministry instructors to nominate teachers for the prize, as we have learned that many excellent teachers are also very modest.

* The text presented above shows the grant as approved by the Foundation Board / Grant 110