Positive energy and enthusiasm go a long way, as Graduate Teaching Fellows Karen Barrows and Julien Guillaumot found out. The presence of these two traits in each of their teaching styles helped them become the first recipients of a new award.
The Dan Kimble First Year Teaching Award recognizes outstanding teaching performances by GTFs in their first year of classroom experience. The award also provides $500 for each recipient.
Barrows is a GTF in environmental studies and Guillaumot is a GTF in clinical psychology.
“The most important part of this award is that it recognizes the efforts of brand-new teachers who have not taught before,” said Georgeanne Cooper, coordinator of the Teaching Effectiveness Program.
The award came about with a gift from Donald G. Stein of Atlanta, who received his doctorate in psychology from the University in 1965. The donation is to honor Dan Kimble, professor emeritus of psychology.
The award was co-sponsored by the graduate school and the TEP. The graduate school received the money and asked the TEP to participate in the award process.
“I am delighted and honored to receive it,” said Barrows of the award. “I am very grateful to my students for their wonderful support, and to the Teaching Effectiveness Program and Graduate School for their attention to the needs of beginning teachers on campus.”
Last year, Barrows taught discussion sections in undergraduate environmental studies courses. She currently works as a GTF for the Ecological Democracy course.
Barrows said she believes her energy, passion and enthusiasm have been key factors in being selected for the award.
Recipient Guillaumot also brings energy to his teaching.
“I use humor a lot,” he said. “I try to approach teaching as fun and make it contagious.”
Another tactic that makes Guillaumot stand out is his ability to remember his students’ names, even in classes as large as his introduction to psychology class last year, which had a total of about 120 students.
“I always try to learn all of their names,” he said. “Many students are very touched that I call them by their names.”
The recipients were selected from among eight first-year GTF applicants who completed a teaching workshop or department training offered by the University and submitted classroom observations and videotapings of their teaching.
Both recipients of the award completed a 15-hour teacher training workshop provided by TEP prior to the beginning of fall 1999.