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K-12 teachers of Russian as a World Language are invited to apply to participate in the second two-year cycle of the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages (AATSEEL) K-12 Teacher Excellence Program (TEP).

Initiated in 2021, AATSEEL-TEP is a program for K-12 teachers that draws on funding support from Indiana University R. F. Byrnes Russian and East European Institute; University of Pittsburgh Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies; University of Wisconsin Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia; Ohio State University Center for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies; and University of North Carolina Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies.

A professional engagement opportunity that aims to recognize and support excellence in the teaching of Russian at the K-12 level, AATSEEL-TEP will serve a cohort of ten pre-college teachers of Russian, who will participate in a two-year program which to begin in January 2024 and end by May 2025. The program consists of professional development and mentoring in the first year, and professional engagement, presentations, and leadership in the second year.


Facilitators/mentors:
Lee Roby, Friends School of Baltimore, eroby@friendsbalt.org
William Comer, Portland State University, wcomer@pdx.edu
Tommy Tabatowski, Noble Academy, ttabatowski@thenobleacademy.org

Program Coordinator:
Mark Trotter, Indiana University, martrott@indiana.edu 


Program participants will be expected to attend:

  • Approximately six online meetings between January 2024 and May 2025 (first meeting tentatively scheduled for Sunday, January 21, 2024 @ 7pm-9pm EST);
  • A full-day in-person workshop in Las Vegas, NV on Thursday, February 15, 2024 (arrival on February 14, 2024);
  • The Annual AATSEEL Conference (in-person format) in Las Vegas, NV on February 15-18 (Thursday-Sunday), 2024: https://www.aatseel.org/program;
  • The Annual 2025 AATSEEL Conference (virtual format) in 2025 (exact dates TBD), contributing to the conference by means of papers, roundtable participation, and/or poster presentations.

Support for Participants

Participants will receive full financial support across the two-year program through coverage of: 1) all costs associated with attendance at two AATSEEL conferences (in-person in 2024, virtual in 2025), including: AATSEEL membership and conference registration fees, airfare/mileage, hotel for four nights, and a per diem to offset cost of meals during the in-person conference that are not otherwise provided; 2) professional development materials.

Upon completion of the two-year program, AATSEEL will provide participants with certificates awarding 120 professional development hours that should fulfill continuing education credits for K-12 teachers.


If you are interested in participating, please apply here.

Priority application deadline is December 11, 2023. Successful applicants will be notified by December 18, 2023.

AATSEEL welcomes applications from all K-12 teachers of Russian. Preference will be given to applicants in the early stages of their K-12 teaching careers at accredited US middle and high schools.

Questions about the application process or the program should be addressed to Mark Trotter (martrott@indiana.edu), at Indiana University.

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