Inaugurated in 2004 and sponsored annually by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K-12 American history education, the History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school. The award honors one K-12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools and US Territories.
Claudia Traub is 2020 Rhode Island history teacher of the year! Claudia has been involved in university and middle school education, theater arts and designing theater, curriculum, and spaces for student voice for over thirty years. She is a staunch proponent of working to decolonize the classroom with deep critical analysis of equitable narrative, power dynamic exchange, redistribution of materials, resources, community and family voice and most importantly a compassionate space designed to uplift, engage, and celebrate the fierce voices that are fighting to be heard, seen and celebrated. Her curriculum focuses on resistance and students as agents of change.
Claudia was awarded the 2018 RI Genocide Educator award. Her education and programming work include Director of Milieu at the Door (an Independent Youth Services agency in NYC), Youth Programming at John Hope Settlement House, University Theater Arts Educator at URI and PC, and 8th through 5th Grade Social Justice/ Social Studies educator at Sophia Academy in Providence.
Claudia has a MAT from Gordon/Roger Williams University, a BA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and completed the two- year Trinity Repertory Theater Arts Conservatory Consortium in Providence.
During the ceremony, you will hear from colleagues and students of Claudia’s as well as from various Rhode Island representatives who wish to share their congratulations with Claudia.
This virtual ceremony honoring Claudia will take place on Wednesday, October 14 at 6PM via Zoom. Please register at this link to be sent the Zoom link to join prior to the meeting.
Nominations for the 2021 History Teacher of the Year awards are now open. Students, parents, colleagues, and supervisors may nominate K-12 teachers for the award by visiting gilderlehrman.org/nhtoy. The deadline for 2021 nominations is March 31, 2021.