Daniel Moix, the computer science education specialist for the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, has been named a finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
The award is the nation’s highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science, including computer science. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education, according to the program’s website.
Each year, a mathematics teacher and a science teacher in each state and U.S. jurisdictions is honored. The teachers receive a certificate signed by the President of the United States, a paid trip for two to Washington, D.C., for a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.
Moix is one of eight Arkansas teachers who were named finalists this year. This is the first year that computer science teachers were eligible to apply for the award. Moix was allowed to apply in either subject. He chose math as it most resembles the approach he associates with his teaching method. The Arkansas finalists include five math instructors and three science instructors. One teacher from each subject will be chosen as a winner.
Moix, a 1998 alumnus of ASMSA, was nominated for the award by Carl Frank, a fellow ASMSA computer science instructor who taught Moix while he was a student at the school. Moix was serving as a computer science instructor at Bryant High School during the spring semester when he was nominated.
Moix, who previously taught at ASMSA from 2003-10, rejoined the school’s faculty during the summer to oversee its Coding Arkansas’ Future initiative. The initiative is providing computer science education classes for high school students and teacher professional development opportunities for school districts across the state.
As part of the application process, Moix had to complete several projects, including a 12-page narrative that spoke about his teaching background — including how he prepared the course for students, ways he was able to measure how they were learning as well as measuring the effectiveness of student learning and course methods at the end of the course. He also provided a 45-minute video of himself teaching and information on his involvement in the educator community at-large, including within the individual school, district, the teaching profession and the nation.
Moix received notification on July 1 that he was named a finalist for the award. He said it was “fantastic” hearing the news.
“Being able to reach the lives of students is the reason why I’m a teacher, but it’s always nice to be recognized by others for what it is we do,” he said.
Moix thanked Marcia Lanier, the library media specialist at Bryant, for her help in preparing his application packet. Lanier works with educators who seek to become National Board Certified Teachers. He said the PAEMST application process is similar.
He said he would encourage teachers to apply and seek recognition in the future.
“The process helped me grow as an educator. I’m glad I did it regardless of whether I win the money because I was enriched through this experience,” he said.
Now it becomes a waiting game for Moix to find out if he is selected for the national award. He doesn’t expect to hear any further news until at least sometime next year. The national awards are split into two categories — kindergarten through sixth grade and seventh through 12th grades. Each year the award alternates between the two groups. Winners from the 2013 seventh- through 12th-grade finalists were just announced in July. That means winners from this year’s nominees won’t be officially recognized until 2017.
This year’s Arkansas finalists will be recognized during a luncheon at the Arkansas Curriculum Conference, which will be held in November in Little Rock.