Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer in education Mr Paul Grover has been awarded a prestigious national Teacher Educator of the Year Award for 2014.

The Australian Teacher Education Association's ATEA/Pearson Teacher Educator of the Year Award aims to encourage and recognise innovative teaching practices in teacher education at a university level.

Mr Grover, a lecturer at the CSU School of Education in Albury-Wodonga, said it was a great honour and quite a surprise to receive the award. In his acceptance speech he spoke about his career perspective and his focus on ensuring that teaching was always 'serious fun'.

"It has been both a privilege and a pleasure to work among young people, no matter what their age," Mr Grover said.

"During my last few years as a secondary school Head Teacher I had the feeling that I wanted to give something back to the teaching profession, and so I seized the opportunity when it came to contribute to the preparation of future teachers at Charles Sturt University.

"This role has allowed me to share a little of the wisdom, experience and insights that I have gleaned from a long and fulfilling career working beside so many wonderfully inspiring and professional teachers, and many more thousands of young adults who have been our high school students."

Mr Grover said that over the last four years at CSU he had learnt much about the profound complexities of teacher education, the dynamic changes taking place in the sector, the enormous political influences at play, and the passion and commitment of so many talented teacher educator colleagues.

"Our future teachers do not realise how many thousands of hours are invested in the development of rich subject content, authentic and creative learning experiences, and fulfilling assessment activities that are all designed to enhance their professional knowledge, skills and teaching practice," he said.

"The teaching profession is such a powerfully important and valuable profession in the world today, and I wholeheartedly endorse the words of the American commentator, John Wooden, who last century declared, 'I think the teaching profession contributes more to the future of our society than any other single profession'."

Mr Grover said that teacher educators have an enormous responsibility to our future generations, and he considered it an enormous privilege to work beside enthusiastic, passionate and inspiring future professional educators.

"At the moment I am reading the poetry of the Pulitzer Prize winning poet Mary Oliver who concludes her poem 'The Summer Day' with this profound question, 'Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?'," he said.

"This is the one question we must ask ourselves, and also ask our students, and it is a question our students should then ask of their own students – and ask in ways that kindle, enthuse and inspire their passion for life."

Mr Grover has been an  English and history Head Teacher at Albury's James Fallon High School for 20 years, a high school English and history teacher for 37 years, and a fulltime CSU teacher educator since 2011.