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Each year the Schulich School of Music recognizes faculty members and student instructors (i.e. Course Lecturers or Practical Instructors) for their outstanding contributions. The Schulich School of Music Teaching Awards recognize excellence, commitment and innovation in teaching, and the importance of these qualities in the academic experience of students at ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï. Prizes are awarded annually to each winner at Spring Convocation.

We are very proud of the dedication shown by our awardees and celebrate their success!

The Awards

There are four categories of awards available for the 2025-2026 academic year:

• Full-Time Teachers (Faculty Lecturers, Assistant, Associate and Full Professors): $1,500
• Part-Time Teachers (Instructors and Contract Academic Staff): $1,500
• Graduate Instructors: $500
• Teaching Assistant: $500
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Eligibility

For all Award types:

• Candidates must have taught a Schulich School of Music course during the Summer 2025, Fall 2025Ìýor Winter 2026Ìýsemester.

For Full-Time / Part-Time Teachers:

• Awards recipients will not be eligible for re-nomination for a period of five (5) years following their award.

For Teaching Assistants / Graduate Instructors:

• Must be Teaching Assistants or Graduate Instructors hired by the Schulich School of Music to teach courses with an MUxx prefix.

Graduate students can receive only one teaching award per year, and only two (one each of the two Graduate Student teaching awards) per degree (master’s and doctorate).

Nomination Procedure, Responsibilities and Deadlines

Nominations are made by one Nominator who is responsible for obtaining written approval from the Nominee to be honored as well as collecting and submitting four reference letters (including their own; two of which should be from current ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï students) which may address:

1. Innovation in learning, teaching and/or assessment
2. Ways in which EDI has been addressed in pedagogical approaches
3. Engagement with student-centered pedagogies
4. Educational leadership such as involvement with program or curriculum development
5. Impact the nominee’s teaching has had on students’ sense of well-being, inclusion, academic achievements or other successes
6. Any other relevant information that could be helpful to the committee
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NOMINATORS

Nominations are made by one person (Nominator 1) who must be a current ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï student or faculty and who is accountable for the deadlines and responsibilities as follows:

Reference letters may address:

1. Innovation in learning, teaching and/or assessment
2. Ways in which EDI has been addressed in pedagogical approaches
3. Engagement with student-centered pedagogies
4. Educational leadership such as involvement with program or curriculum development
5. Impact the nominee’s teaching has had on students’ sense of well-being, inclusion, academic achievements or other successes
6. Any other relevant information that could be helpful to the committee

NOMINEES

Nominees are accountable for the deadline and responsibilities in the table below. Dossiers will be evaluated against the following criteria:

• Pedagogical achievements: student evaluations, peer evaluations, awards, student achievements, engagement with professional development
• Professional values in learning and teaching: clarity and insight relating to a personal teaching philosophy that reflects the values as set out in the SSoM strategic plan (teaching and learning).
• Examples of excellence in teaching: Examples will be evaluated according to the category of award.

Nominee dossiers should include:

1. A summary of their teaching responsibilities including:
   1. Type of teaching
   2. Level (undergraduate/graduate), course(s), and number of students;
2. Evidence of their pedagogical achievements, including (for example):
   1. Awards
   2. Peer evaluations
   3. Success of students
   4. Student evaluations
   5. Engagement with professional development relating to learning and teaching
3. A concise statement of their professional values in learning and teaching
4. Example(s) of excellence in their teaching. Candidates for the fulltime and part-time instructor awards should provide at least two examples commensurate with their experience; candidates for the Teaching Assistant and Graduate Instructor Awards should provide at least one example commensurate with their experience. Examples may be linked to the following categories:
   1. Evidence-informed pedagogies
   2. Innovation (e.g., innovative assessment, classroom activities, creation of resources to support learning, use of technology, innovative approaches to the development of transferable skills)
   3. Addressing EDI in learning and teaching
   4. Student-centred pedagogy (e.g., student-focused activities; personalized feedback and other student-focused support for student success)
   5. Opportunities for community engagement
   6. Curriculum development

Selection Committee

• Associate Deans and Department ChairsÌýof the Schulich School of Music Executive Committee; representatives from MUSA (2) and MGSS (2).
• All Conflicts of interest (COI) must be declared, and any member of the selection committee with a declared COI will recuse themselves from deliberation in that case.