Burns and Hale are two of 31 semifinalists selected by the Golden Apple Foundation from more than 600 nominees. This year, the Golden Apple Award focuses on teachers of grades 3 to 8 from Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and Will counties in Illinois.

"I cannot say enough about the profound impact that being a teacher-researcher has had on me. It is a gift to be able to self-assess as my children are learning. Keeping an introspective eye on my practices and more importantly, their effect on my children's learning, is the most valuable teaching tool for me as an educator," she says. Sophie Haroutunian-Gordon, director of the Master of Science in Education program, comments, "It is gratifying to hear our alumni voice their commitment to studying their practice — a value they cultivate while pursuing the three-course Master's Project during the MSEd program. As Meg has learned, such ongoing scrutiny makes possible continual improvement as a teacher."
Michelle Jenkins, the elementary school coordinator for the NU-TEACH program, describes Burns as “an inspiration to all who know and work with her.” Burns was also a finalist for the Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence in 2008.

“He has developed a classroom of mutual respect and student discovery. He is amazing to watch in the classroom,” says Jenkins.
This spring all of the semifinalists will be visited in their classrooms by a team from the Golden Apple Foundation. In addition, semifinalists and their colleagues, administrators, parents, students and former students are interviewed. Ten Golden Apple Award recipients will be named in May.
One of the prizes for the 10 awardees is a tuition-free fall term at Northwestern University. The Golden Apple Award was created in 1985 to honor outstanding Chicago-area teachers.