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Passion and Compassion Set Award-Winning Teachers Apart Known for challenging their students in exceptional ways, seven University of Virginia professors received 1999 University-wide awards honoring outstanding teaching. Passion and compassion set winning teachers apart that stands out about the five faculty members who recently received All-University Outstanding Teaching Awards is the enthusiasm with which they convey their subjects, no matter how difficult, as well as the level of care and attention they give to their students. And they've had students lined up for lecture courses on mathematics, data analysis and Russian authors. In addition, they have touched individual students' lives in lasting ways. Faculty profiles for:
"Julian brings to his teaching respect for his students and a desire to ignite a spark of interest that just might kindle to passion," said Karen Ryan, Slavic Department chair. "He truly aims to make a difference in students' intellectual lives. Yes, he teaches Russian literature; but from a broader perspective, he teaches critical thinking, analytical skills and oral and written expression -- and he does it with tremendous enthusiasm, talent and skill." Connolly, after receiving his Ph.D. from Harvard, has been doing that for more than 20 years here at U.Va. Native Russian Victoria Sevastianova, a U.Va. doctoral candidate, said Connolly has not only impressed her "with his vast knowledge and various interests," but also with his openness to new ways of interpreting well-known authors, showing patience and support for his students. "To put it simply, he is a little bit magic," she wrote, in endorsing him for a teaching award. One of Connolly's most recent enthusiasms has focused on using instructional technology. He designed an innovative web site, with the help of former graduate student Peter Hedlund, to illustrate and explain references in Russian texts. "I was amazed at how eager Mr. Connolly was to embrace a technology that can often seem as foreign as any 19th-century Russian novel," Hedlund wrote. Having taken five seminar courses from Connolly in two years, Hedlund last year served as his teaching assistant and led discussion sections, discovering that Connolly "was a wonderful mentor as well as being an outstanding lecturer." Connolly is now one of Sevastianova's dissertation advisors. "I always know that if I am at a dead end, he will ask one important question which will illuminate everything from a new angle and give me more food for thought," she said. His encouragement also extends to undergraduates, as Matthew Strongin's recommendation illustrates. "Through his passion, wisdom and willingness to lead students to the next level of thought, Professor Connolly unleashes the beauty of Russian literature, epitomizing the essence of education," wrote Strongin, who decided to major in the subject a few weeks into Dostoevsky. It seems Connolly's dream has come true many times, whether he knows it or not.
"In matters that are complex and difficult, she brings clarity and even simplicity." "A role model for all professors." "[She] takes you on an intellectual ride which is incredible." "Interesting, entertaining, charming and caring." "She has uniformly earned the respect and admiration of the students by her command of the materials and class preparation." They laud her teaching style, which uses the Socratic method as a launching point to draw her students into discussions that help them not only learn the substance of the law, but its implications, and to draw connections from one element to another. The numerical grades on her evaluations are uniformly excellent. But, as impressive as the glowing descriptions of her classroom work are, they are not the most impressive part of the nomination packet. Consider the testimony of student Dana Buckman, who received a phone call from Coughlin as she prepared at her family's home for her sister's funeral, just three weeks before her first-year finals: "Professor Coughlin spoke with such warmth and compassion that I was taken by surprise. She told me how truly sorry she was for my loss and wanted to reassure me that I should not be concerned about school, but should simply take all the time I needed to take care of family business. She insisted that she would personally tutor me on the material I missed in her class. ... She reassured me in a way that was as comforting as a mother to a sick child." And the comments of Sali Qaragholi, an Iraqi-American student who has family in Baghdad: "Professor Coughlin has ... consistently shown concern for my welfare whenever another incident has flared up with Iraq. ... [During a recent crisis] Not only did she call me twice to ask how I was doing and to see whether she could do anything to help -- which I knew was a genuine offer -- but she also sent me several e-mails further to check up on me; her deep concern both touched and helped me through a difficult time."
Johnson's skill at getting students fired up about subjects that could easily be stone-cold -- from lower-level mathematics to upper-level materials science -- was a major factor in their recommending him for one of five All-University Outstanding Teaching Awards. Johnson has been recognized as an exceptional teacher and scholar for 15 years, not only at U.Va. and Carnegie Mellon University, where he has been a faculty member, but also nationally, by the American Society of Materials and The Metallurgical Society, and internationally, receiving two Alexander von Humboldt Fellowships to two different German universities, according to William A. Jesser, chairman of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. His teaching methods have evolved over time. "I used to think teaching was presenting material that was to be learned by students," Johnson wrote. "I now view my job as more of a facilitator; aiding students as they master a new subject. I try to provide guidance, understanding, encouragement, honesty, experience and, most importantly, patience. These are precisely the characteristics I appreciate in my colleagues when I seek their help with my own scientific problems." He's willing to pitch in when needed, Jesser said, and among the wide range of courses Johnson teaches is a non-credit seminar he added at the request of undergraduate students. "I think the aspect of Prof. Johnson's teaching that sets him apart ... extend[s] beyond the material included in the course," wrote Elsa Olivetti. "I was taught how to think. He took time to show us how to approach problem solving and to always be wary of assumptions." Colleagues are similarly complimentary: "Professor Johnson is the sort of teacher most of us would like to be," notes James M. Howe, associate professor in the Materials Science Department, who sat in on some of Johnson's classes. "I learned almost as much about teaching by watching Professor Johnson interact with the students as I did about the course itself." Mary Beck, a lecturer in mathematics, perhaps sums it up best. After hearing about him from others for years before meeting him, Beck expected Johnson to be a giant: "I am still surprised, when I see him, that he is only 6-5."
"As a woman preparing to enter the consulting profession, I have struggled to develop my sense of presence ... I will never be comfortable using a command and control style of leadership, yet I must develop an assertiveness ... to be successful. Jeanne's presence in class is one that I will try to emulate," Gilham wrote. Her sentiments were echoed by several of Liedtka's colleagues, as well as students, who say she is "one of the best professors at Darden." "Liedtka is first rate," said Sponsors Professor of Business Administration James R. Freeland. "She is one of those rare individuals who energizes others ... someone who everyone wants to have as a member of their committee." Her "powerful mind and very sharp wit ... bring passion and enthusiasm to intellectual work. ... She makes the academic life seem serious, fun and engaging all at once, and this attitude infects her colleagues. The University and Darden are very lucky to have someone of Jeanne's ability," wrote R. Edward Freeman, director of the Olsson Center for Applied Ethics. "She encouraged us to use all of our analytical horsepower. ... [She] pushed us hard but instead of feeling overwhelmed, we responded," wrote student Robert Straker. "Liedtka faced a sea of hands, all waving about, each attached to a first-year student desperate to join in the conversation." "My interactions with students are premised on an uncomplicated set of values," Liedtka says, "respect for each student's contribution, a willingness to place today's class within the context of the important issues in their lives, and a belief in the value of holding standards high, within an environment of caring and support. "Writing about pedagogical issues has been another important cornerstone in my own learning about teaching," Liedtka says. Through articles, she shares with colleagues what she has learned in teaching business ethics, redesigning business courses and creating new teaching materials.
The reason? His memorable teaching style -- one that is reflected in his outstanding evaluations. Nobody gets better ratings in large lecture courses than Willingham, who manages to get an unbelievable score routinely in -- "yes, the 'driest' course offered by any Psychology Department," said Psychology chair Peter Brunjes. Willingham, who began teaching at U.Va. in 1992, is not afraid to tackle those kinds of subjects. For graduate students, he voluntarily designed and teaches "Professional Issues," a course that covers topics geared toward their concerns, such as how to apply for grants and write letters of recommendation -- not exactly gripping material but essential for their careers. Whatever he's teaching, Willingham enlivens it by offering plenty of examples, telling stories and using humor to engage students' interest, according to his supporters. "He presented difficult material clearly and completely by weaving it into an interesting story that took the students' perspective," said Toni Wegner, director of the department's undergraduate studies, who sat in on one of Willingham's lectures. Julie A. Dumas, a 1996 graduate, said that what she valued most about Willingham's teaching style was his ability to explain basic concepts while challenging students to think about underlying theories. "For me, this is the best part of teaching: showing students that something they had taken for granted actually contains a deep problem," Willingham said. "My hope is that this attitude may translate to other situations -- the attitude that nothing should be taken for granted, and that reconsidering the obvious may lead to the discovery of treasure." One of his treasures is the compassion he shows, taking no one for granted. "Willingham has a ... heart that cares so much that his intentions are obvious to both his students and colleagues. He is indeed the premier teacher within a department known for its concern and teaching ability," Brunjes said.
"I feel a strong obligation to take my students to the frontiers of knowledge in my field. ... Learning and teaching are incomplete without the other," wrote Noble, who received the Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award last week. Noble is known among students and faculty alike for his breadth of learning, command of his subject and extraordinary classroom effectiveness. Moreover, as his History colleague Edward L. Ayers points out, he has gained this reputation teaching courses that aren't necessarily among the most popular with today's students &emdash; "courses that stretch far back into the past, that cover enormous stretches of time, and that introduce young people to views of the world that often seem alien and remote." Noble, a medievalist both by training and, he says, "by inclination," has for the last 15 years taught to first- and second-year students the first half of the Western Civilization introductory course, which covers more than 2,000 years of history. In student evaluations for this and all his courses, "the praise for him is almost euphoric," says History Department chair Michael Holt. "Most students simply adore him" and "unanimously praise his enthusiasm, the clarity of his lectures and his ability to make them think in new ways." In addition to teaching his medieval specialty to graduate and undergraduate students, Noble directs the History Distinguished Majors Program. He also teaches a required colloquium to students of widely different interests and often teaches a Latin readings course for graduate students from all departments who want to improve their Latin skills. "I take every student seriously," Noble wrote in a teaching statement. "In small discussion-oriented classes I try to create a safe, welcoming environment where students are encouraged to speak freely, and to criticize me and one another constructively. "As I teach history I hope I can help students to think more expansively, more creatively, more sympathetically," he wrote. "I also hope that I can leave students with notions and perceptions that will be increasingly valuable to them as they go through life. I deliberately use concrete examples to teach the importance of courage, commitment, dignity, faith, and reason, or the difference between celebrity and distinction, values and virtues, self-interest and the common good." Noble, who has been at U.Va. since 1980, is the author or co-author of four books and numerous articles and chapters on medieval and Western history, including being the lead author and guiding light behind the respected college textbook, Western Civilization: The Continuing Experiment.
Owensby's "humane focus on the openness of history, on the way things can turn out differently, on the way we can make things change for ourselves, is the most important message a history teacher can convey," Edward L. Ayers, Hugh P. Kelly Professor of History, wrote in his recommendation. Open to the gap between anticipation and outcome himself, Owensby, who specializes in Latin American history, made radical changes in his teaching when he felt his students were not becoming sufficiently active learners. "Once he had his Brazil course down pat, with all the lectures written and twice delivered," wrote Herbert "Tico" Braun, Goldsmith Distinguished Teaching Professor of History, "[Owensby sensed that] something was missing," scrapped his lectures and began teaching a class of 40 as a seminar. Using something like the Socratic method, Owensby got students to complete reading assignments by requiring them to come to class prepared to ask, as well as answer, questions, Braun said. He "sensed that only by obligating the students to participate actively in the class, [could] he begin to cultivate in them a sense of what is was like to have lived in the past." Andrew Morris, a history graduate student, agreed, praising Owensby for keeping discussions "remarkably open-ended," refusing to give students "a 'solution' to knotty intellectual problems." A former undergraduate student, Alexa Brownell, also noted Owensby's generosity as a mentor. She said he inspired her to work on a film about adolescent prostitution in Nicaragua after she graduated, and he continues to influence her current work with Accion International, a Washington based non-profit organization fighting poverty in Latin America. "His lasting influence on my life and the lives of his other students testifies to a brilliance in teaching which should be celebrated [by] the University community."
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SOURCE: Inside UVA |
Fyodor
Dostoevsky, Nikolai Gogol and Vladimir Nabokov are not
typically considered leisure reading. But teaching award
winner Julian Connolly, a professor of Slavic languages and
literature, holds a "fervent dream to have my students
perceive, even if just for a moment, that [a difficult
Russian writer] may be the most engaging writer that
they have ever encountered."
The
recommendations supporting Law professor Anne M. Coughlin's
nomination for an All-University Outstanding Teaching Award
are filled with the usual impressive testimonials.
William
Johnson, professor of materials science and engineering, is
a demanding teacher who gives difficult tests and thrives on
putting students on the spot. And his students can't get
enough.
Her
class "played like a suspense novel," wrote student Jean
Gilham of Darden School professor Jeanne Liedtka's course on
Strategy Consulting. "The classroom dynamics were amazing as
students sat on the edge of their seats to not miss a moment
of the discussion," she said in her recommendation letter.
Undergraduate
Psychology majors dread the required "Research Methods and
Data Analysis" course. But when assistant psychology
professor Dan Willingham teaches the course, every chair is
filled, and students are attentive and interactive.
History
professor Thomas F.X. Noble didn't take up medieval studies
because of Chaucer's clerk of Oxenford, but he shares a
philosophy with the Canterbury pilgrim and scholar: "Gladly
would he learn, and gladly teach."
If
his students learn nothing else, he hopes they'll leave his
classes taking no historical narrative for granted, wrote
assistant professor of history Brian Owensby, winner of the
Alumni Board of Trustees Teaching Award, in a teaching
statement.
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