Law Teacher of the Year 2010 named!
Rebecca Huxley-Binns, Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University has been named Law Teacher of the Year 2010.
The national award, run in association with the UK Centre for Legal Education (UKCLE) and sponsored by Oxford University Press (OUP), culminated with an award ceremony held at UKCLEs annual conference on Friday 29 January 2010.
Six shortlisted candidates were put through their paces in a judging process spanning several months. Each candidate underwent a process involving campus visits by the panel of judges to observe teaching, plus interviews with the candidates, their students and heads of departments.
Rebecca Huxley-Binns emerged from the judging process victorious and takes home the £3,000 personal cheque.
On receiving the national award Rebecca paid tribute to her wider circle of law teaching colleagues: "You can't win Law Teacher of the Year on your own, it's the result of a successful collaboration; with your module team and the students in the classroom, sharing ideas and inspiration; as well as the wider collaboration with colleagues at events and conferences where it is so important to talk, share, listen and learn."
This years other finalists were drawn from higher and further education:
- Nick Jackson - Senior Lecturer, University of Kent
- Martha-Marie Kleinhans - Senior Lecturer, University of Reading
- Margaret McDonald Daw - BVC Tutor, Manchester Metropolitan University
- Victoria Murray - Senior Lecturer, Northumbria University
- Haresh Sood - Subject Leader, Department of Law, Rushcliffe Sixth Form, Nottingham
The candidates also pitched for an additional award, the Alistair MacQueen Memorial Grant of £1,000, sponsored by OUP, to support a charitable initiative at their institution. The grant was awarded to Nick Jackson, University of Kent to support the ongoing partnership between Kent Law Clinic and Canterbury Housing Advice Centre, to further enhance the opportunity for students to get involved in pro bono work.
Who is eligible?
The competition is open to all law teachers in the UK, including those in higher education, further education, the schools sector and private institutions. Anyone previously nominated or shortlisted for the award is welcome to re-enter.
To enter, the law teacher in question should be currently employed by an educational institution, but can be part-time or full-time, fixed term or permanent.
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How do I enter a teacher?
Nominations are now open for the 2011 Award.
The process of entry is nomination by email. Nominations are welcomed from work colleagues, educational institutions, students or representatives of other public or private bodies. Students nominating teachers may (although are not obliged to) seek input from another teacher to offer a professional perspective. The law teacher should agree to the nomination as should the Head of Department.
There must be two nominating sponsors for each entrant. The nomination should address the criteria as set out below, by giving the judging panel enough information to build up a picture of the candidate. Up to 400 words per paragraph. See the model nomination form for guidance.
Nominations addressed all the criteria for the award under the following headings:
Displays an active interest in and development of approaches to teaching that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
Demonstrates commitment to and support for the development of students as individuals
Uses effective communication skills that engage students in the learning experience
Involvement in scholarly activities that have influenced and enhanced learning both of students and colleagues
On receipt of the completed nomination, OUP will be in touch with the candidate, relevant Head of Department and nominators to acknowledge the entry, and seek any additional input from the Head of Department to support the nomination, before it is passed to the judges.
Any enquiries relating to the award should be addressed to: helaw.uk@oup.com
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Download the model nomination form (76.4KB)
To be used as a guide for the length of a nomination and how criteria could be addressed.
What it takes to scoop the £3,000 prize
Click here for information on both the judging panel and the judging process for the 2010 award.
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More information on the award and its background
Law Teacher of the Year 2009: for more information on last year's award and finalists please follow this link.
The Alistair MacQueen Memorial Grant: the late Alistair MacQueen had a long and distinguished background in legal publishing, founding Blackstone Press in 1988. Alistair had been involved in the award since its inception and was the original sponsor. Follow the link to find out about the memorial grant set up in his honour, linked to the Law Teacher of the Year award.
The award, its background and those involved: follow the link for more information on this national award recognizing the vital role that teachers play in the education of tomorrow's lawyers, and rewarding achievement in teaching.
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