From left, Huff, Hessinger, and Linck at the Graduate College Recognition Reception

Congratulations to the 2011 Graduate Teaching Award nominees and recipients! Three years ago the Graduate College and the Faculty Development Program reinitiated an award to recognize outstanding work by graduate teaching assistants. This year's recipients are:

John Hessinger, Applied Communication
John is a GTA teaching Introduction to Public Speaking. In a class that many students fear, he works to break down those fears so students reach more success than they might have thought possible. He says, “I engage the minds of the students by challenging them to think critically about issues of significance.” He wants them to feel both enabled and empowered to speak publically and does this through a creative curriculum. He was nominated by Professor Julie Schutten.

Sarah Huff, Biology
Sarah is a GTA teaching three sections of Biology Anatomy & Physiology Lab 201. She knows that students bring different backgrounds and levels of knowledge to the labs and encourages them to exceed their own expectations. She says she has high expectations not only for her students but also for herself. She works to learn about students’ strengths and weaknesses so she can foster their success. She was nominated by Instructor Robert Kellar.

Emily Linck, Educational Specialities
Emily is a GTA in the department of Educational Specialities where she has had a variety of experiences teaching and co-teaching face-to-face and online classes in special education and working with students on their field placements. In all settings she works to help students develop the critical thinking skills that will help them gain a deeper comprehension of the material. She seeks to develop communities of learners where students gain confidence in their studies. She was nominated by Professor Catherine Medina and Senior Lecturer April Brady.

Nominees included Bill Briggs, Biological Sciences; Joshua Palkki, Music; Michelle Garrido, Psychology; and Molly Schiffer, Politics and International Affairs.

We would like to thank all the nominees for the quality of their work in classrooms and labs and to recognize the important contributions GTAs make at NAU!

Don't miss words of wisdom from NAU Distinguished Teaching Fellow Natalie Hess, professor of Bilingual and Multicultural education at NAU-Yuma: read "Professing on the WEB."

Also see "Responding Effectively to Student Work: A Baker’s Dozen of Approaches" from NAU Faculty Development Program Director Linda Shadiow, who provides thought-provoking columns on teaching for each issue of The Graduate College e-newsletter.

GC 599 - Seminar for College Teaching (Course # 6773) will be offered as a one-credit, Pass/Fail Course for Fall 2011. It will be held on Mondays, 3–3:50 pm in the Eastburn Education building, Room 156.

This seminar is primarily intended for graduate students with teaching responsibilities (in courses or labs). It will be taught by Linda Shadiow, Professor of Education Foundations and Director of the Faculty Development Program. 

Key questions qddressed will include: What perspectives do I bring to my teaching and how do they impact my curricular choices? How can students be productively challenged and effectively supported in their learning? In what ways can students be actively engaged in learning content and processes in the discipline? What kind of assignments and feedback on assignments has a meaningful role in furthering student learning?

For more information, contact Linda.Shadiow@nau.edu.