ACTR Teaching Excellence Award for K-12 Instructors
2023
Valeriya Kozlovskaya, Star Academy, MA (K-8)
Valeriya teaches Russian at the Star Academy, a private school in the greater Boston area. Valeriya is a dedicated, talented, and innovative teacher who is passionate about seeing all of her students succeed, as well as a generous colleague, actively involved in the field of Russian education at the local and national levels.
As head of the Russian Language Program at the Star Academy, Valeriya is an expert on instructing bilingual children in the greater Boston area, teaching all levels of the language and literature, coordinating language instruction, and independently developing content-based courses for heritage speakers. The Star Academy enrolls a diverse range of language learners, with the majority of students from bilingual backgrounds. Within Valeriya’s classes, there is a wide range of heritage speakers, which presents particular challenges to content-creation and instructional differentiation, all of which she is able to masterfully and successfully navigate. Valeriya thoughtfully considers the latest research on heritage bilingualism, as well as the intellectual and emotional development of learners in designing effective and engaging learning tasks and teaching materials. This is further enhanced by the positive, focused and supportive relationships that she builds with her students and their parents, inside and outside of the classroom.
Valeriya is also an innovative teacher who has successfully implemented project-based language learning and content-based courses at Star Academy, which allow Valeriya’s students to learn about their heritage and make connections between various disciplines and the Russian language. This is further enhanced by her incorporation of émigré cultural and literary texts into her teaching and curricula.
Valeriya is an active member and participant in ACTR and AATSEEL sponsored programs and activities for teachers and their students of Russian. As a life-long learner seeking to improve her content knowledge and instruction through numerous professional development opportunities, Valeriya demonstrates the benefits of life-long learning and instills this desire for life-long learning in her students.
As a passionate and caring educator, Valeriya is a wonderful example of how a language teacher can motivate her students to explore and learn the Russian language and culture.
Valeriya teaches Russian at the Star Academy, a private school in the greater Boston area. Valeriya is a dedicated, talented, and innovative teacher who is passionate about seeing all of her students succeed, as well as a generous colleague, actively involved in the field of Russian education at the local and national levels.
As head of the Russian Language Program at the Star Academy, Valeriya is an expert on instructing bilingual children in the greater Boston area, teaching all levels of the language and literature, coordinating language instruction, and independently developing content-based courses for heritage speakers. The Star Academy enrolls a diverse range of language learners, with the majority of students from bilingual backgrounds. Within Valeriya’s classes, there is a wide range of heritage speakers, which presents particular challenges to content-creation and instructional differentiation, all of which she is able to masterfully and successfully navigate. Valeriya thoughtfully considers the latest research on heritage bilingualism, as well as the intellectual and emotional development of learners in designing effective and engaging learning tasks and teaching materials. This is further enhanced by the positive, focused and supportive relationships that she builds with her students and their parents, inside and outside of the classroom.
Valeriya is also an innovative teacher who has successfully implemented project-based language learning and content-based courses at Star Academy, which allow Valeriya’s students to learn about their heritage and make connections between various disciplines and the Russian language. This is further enhanced by her incorporation of émigré cultural and literary texts into her teaching and curricula.
Valeriya is an active member and participant in ACTR and AATSEEL sponsored programs and activities for teachers and their students of Russian. As a life-long learner seeking to improve her content knowledge and instruction through numerous professional development opportunities, Valeriya demonstrates the benefits of life-long learning and instills this desire for life-long learning in her students.
As a passionate and caring educator, Valeriya is a wonderful example of how a language teacher can motivate her students to explore and learn the Russian language and culture.
Eric Hood, Sparta High School, NJ (9-12)
Eric has taught Russian levels one through five at Sparta High School since 1990. Inspired by Eric’s passion for Russia and the Russian language, hundreds of students have studied under him, with many graduates continuing at the college level. Eric’s mastery of the Russian language and varied professional experience have also served as examples for his students to perfect and use their Russian beyond the classroom, as career professionals. He has consistently engaged students in meaningful language learning opportunities, ensuring that his proficiency-based instruction is aligned with current standards, always fostering cultural understanding.
As a polyglot fluent in Hungarian and German, Eric allows his students to draw connections and explore the complex world of language and culture. He creates an inclusive, caring, and challenging learning environment reflective of real-life situations. Critical and creative thinking, as well as an awareness of diverse cultural perspectives are key elements of Eric’s instruction where all students, regardless of background or ability, have equal opportunities to excel in their study of Russian.
Eric’s students regularly and successfully participate in the ACTR National Russian Essay Contest and the Olympiada of Spoken Russian. On two occasions, Eric’s students went on to participate in the international Olympiada of Spoken Russian in Moscow.
From 1990 to 1997 Eric collaborated on the US-Soviet high school exchange from Sparta High School, managing Soviet exchange students living and studying in Sparta, NJ. Eric also led American students residing in Moscow for three weeks on the exchange. His students, so enthusiastic about being in Moscow, spontaneously burst into the song, Moscow Nights that they had learned in class. Eric has also organized 10-day student tours to Moscow and St. Petersburg from 1999-2018.
Eric consistently strives to improve his own Russian. He participated in the US-Soviet Teachers Exchange Program in 1991 and 1998, living in Russia and studying the language and culture. He also personally traveled to and lived in Russia multiple times.
Through the years, Eric has also developed curricula and mentored new Russian teachers in Sparta’s Russian program. His humor, enthusiasm and passion for Russia and the Russian language have all served to motivate many students and colleagues.
Eric has taught Russian levels one through five at Sparta High School since 1990. Inspired by Eric’s passion for Russia and the Russian language, hundreds of students have studied under him, with many graduates continuing at the college level. Eric’s mastery of the Russian language and varied professional experience have also served as examples for his students to perfect and use their Russian beyond the classroom, as career professionals. He has consistently engaged students in meaningful language learning opportunities, ensuring that his proficiency-based instruction is aligned with current standards, always fostering cultural understanding.
As a polyglot fluent in Hungarian and German, Eric allows his students to draw connections and explore the complex world of language and culture. He creates an inclusive, caring, and challenging learning environment reflective of real-life situations. Critical and creative thinking, as well as an awareness of diverse cultural perspectives are key elements of Eric’s instruction where all students, regardless of background or ability, have equal opportunities to excel in their study of Russian.
Eric’s students regularly and successfully participate in the ACTR National Russian Essay Contest and the Olympiada of Spoken Russian. On two occasions, Eric’s students went on to participate in the international Olympiada of Spoken Russian in Moscow.
From 1990 to 1997 Eric collaborated on the US-Soviet high school exchange from Sparta High School, managing Soviet exchange students living and studying in Sparta, NJ. Eric also led American students residing in Moscow for three weeks on the exchange. His students, so enthusiastic about being in Moscow, spontaneously burst into the song, Moscow Nights that they had learned in class. Eric has also organized 10-day student tours to Moscow and St. Petersburg from 1999-2018.
Eric consistently strives to improve his own Russian. He participated in the US-Soviet Teachers Exchange Program in 1991 and 1998, living in Russia and studying the language and culture. He also personally traveled to and lived in Russia multiple times.
Through the years, Eric has also developed curricula and mentored new Russian teachers in Sparta’s Russian program. His humor, enthusiasm and passion for Russia and the Russian language have all served to motivate many students and colleagues.
2022
Suzanne Jouravlev, Sparta Middle School, NJ (K-8)
As an essential educator in Sparta's long-standing Russian program, Suzanne has committed herself to teaching the Russian Language for the past 33 years. Suzanne began teaching Russian at Sparta High School and moved to Sparta Middle School several years ago. As a "dynamic" and "motivating" educator, she has always encouraged the students in her district to start learning Russian and instilled a passion for the subject matter. When asked why students in Sparta began to learn Russian, they responded: "I was going to take another language, but Mrs. J got me into Russian. She showed us how fun and interesting Russian can be."
Additionally, Suzanne has written innovative materials and curricula that enhance her excellent teaching and promote her students' learning. Over the years, Suzanne has fulfilled numerous administrative tasks in her school and on travel abroad trips to Russia so that students in Sparta can experience the language and culture firsthand. She has worked tirelessly to organize and arrange for such unique travel experiences for her students, which benefit their learning and provide them with an opportunity to apply their skills in the target culture.
As an essential educator in Sparta's long-standing Russian program, Suzanne has committed herself to teaching the Russian Language for the past 33 years. Suzanne began teaching Russian at Sparta High School and moved to Sparta Middle School several years ago. As a "dynamic" and "motivating" educator, she has always encouraged the students in her district to start learning Russian and instilled a passion for the subject matter. When asked why students in Sparta began to learn Russian, they responded: "I was going to take another language, but Mrs. J got me into Russian. She showed us how fun and interesting Russian can be."
Additionally, Suzanne has written innovative materials and curricula that enhance her excellent teaching and promote her students' learning. Over the years, Suzanne has fulfilled numerous administrative tasks in her school and on travel abroad trips to Russia so that students in Sparta can experience the language and culture firsthand. She has worked tirelessly to organize and arrange for such unique travel experiences for her students, which benefit their learning and provide them with an opportunity to apply their skills in the target culture.
William Brennan, Sparta High School, NJ (9-12)
Our awards committee was particularly impressed by Bill’s commitment to Sparta’s Russian program, where he has taught the Russian Language for the past 18 years. As a thoughtful and reflective teacher constantly seeking to improve their craft, Bill has continuously sought to improve his knowledge of the content and methodology of teaching Russian as a second language. As an exemplary teacher of Russian, our committee also learned that many of Bill’s colleagues have learned from his teaching and technique, incorporating innovative strategies and activities in Russian and other World Language classrooms at Sparta High School. Over the years, Sparta High School students have benefited from Bill’s educational leadership and instruction, not just in the classroom but also in extracurricular settings. Outside the classroom, he has taken students abroad to Russia on numerous occasions to experience the language and culture firsthand, as well as coaching his students to participate in the Olympiada of Spoken Russian and further demonstrate their proven skills in Russian.
Our awards committee was particularly impressed by Bill’s commitment to Sparta’s Russian program, where he has taught the Russian Language for the past 18 years. As a thoughtful and reflective teacher constantly seeking to improve their craft, Bill has continuously sought to improve his knowledge of the content and methodology of teaching Russian as a second language. As an exemplary teacher of Russian, our committee also learned that many of Bill’s colleagues have learned from his teaching and technique, incorporating innovative strategies and activities in Russian and other World Language classrooms at Sparta High School. Over the years, Sparta High School students have benefited from Bill’s educational leadership and instruction, not just in the classroom but also in extracurricular settings. Outside the classroom, he has taken students abroad to Russia on numerous occasions to experience the language and culture firsthand, as well as coaching his students to participate in the Olympiada of Spoken Russian and further demonstrate their proven skills in Russian.
