The Best Should Teach Initiative strives to acknowledge excellence in teaching and academic leadership. The initiative is managed by the Graduate Teacher Program in coordination with the School of Education, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Graduate School at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Lindley and Marguerite Stiles established the initiative in 1996 to promulgate the message that “The Best Should Teach.” A Best Should Teach sculpture designed by John Haertling which represents the flame of enlightenment is installed at the School of Education on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus as a visual reminder of the initiative and of the importance of teaching.
The School of Education at the University of Colorado at Boulder supports the Best Should Initiative by recognizing an outstanding undergraduate in Education each year. The student receives a Best Should Teach flame of enlightenment pin and plaque at graduation. At the Best Should Teach Ira & Ineva Baldwin Lecture each year, the School of Education also awards gold Best Should Teach pins to several teachers from the local public schools.
The Graduate School awards Best Should Teach pins to academic leaders on the Boulder campus. The Graduate Teacher Program awards 5 Best Should Teach Gold Awards to faculty on the Boulder campus and Best Should Teach Silver Awards to the Lead Graduate Teachers each year.
