In April last term, the Senate Committee on Teaching and Learning announced the recipients of the Parents' Association University-Wide Teaching Award winners for 1999. In the full-time faculty (ten or more years) category the award is shared by Malcolm Blincow and Lesley Higgins. Judith Rudakoff was selected for the award for full-time faculty (less than ten years) and Ibrahim Badr received the award in the part-time/contract faculty category. Caitlin Fisher and Jean Noble tied for the award among Teaching Assistants.

MALCOLM BLINCOW
Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Arts

Over his 25 years of teaching at York, Malcolm Blincow has held a reputation of being a devoted and generous teacher with a love of learning that inspires his students. Indeed, his nomination by the Social Anthropology Graduate Association is a strong testimonial to the appreciation students have of his deep and abiding concern for their academic progress. Malcolm's teaching activities reflect his wide-ranging interests – having taught numerous courses and served as supervisor, advisor and mentor to countless students in the programme at both graduate and undergraduate levels. Dan Yon, a colleague and former student of Malcolm's, observes that students see his teaching as "amazing" because he uses a variety of approaches to get his students involved in the ideas and issues about which he teaches, because he is a keen, patient and thoughtful listener, and because the sense of social justice and respect he brings to the content of his teaching also informs and shapes the social relations formed with his students.
 

LESLEY HIGGINS
Department of English, Faculty of Arts

In summing up her experience as one of Lesley Higgins' students, Kerry Doyle writes: "Lesley Higgins demands the best a student can offer, and nothing less, and as one of her students I can easily say that I want to present to her the best I can offer, and to make my best better by challenging my own limitations ... she makes learning a challenge, a pleasure and an inspiration." This testimony is one of many such enthusiastic statements about Lesley's teaching that appear in her nomination. A captivating and inspiring lecturer, an attentive and thorough assessor of student's work, and an insightful and supportive supervisor, Lesley is clearly one who devotes considerable thought and critical reflection to her teaching. And, in view of the consistently high ratings she receives in her student evaluations, this approach is obviously appreciated by all of her students. Lesley offers skillful guidance to students at all levels for any learning challenge – from mastering critical skills, to completing a dissertation, through to helping her teaching assistants become better teachers themselves.

JUDITH RUDAKOFF
Department of Theatre, Faculty of Fine Arts

 

Judith Rudakoff's file is replete with enthusiasm for her teaching – her contributors characterize Judith as being a challenging, inspiring and generous professor who has had a deep and lasting impact on the lives of her many students. She has unique ability to foster and inspire young playwrights, encouraging them to find their own voices and learn the discipline of writing for the stage. Her classes are found to be stimulating and invigorating, and her courses insightful and invaluable. Her nominators – her third year Playwriting, and fourth year Playwriting and New Play Dramaturgy classes – observe that Judith "puts hands on learning into practice. As opposed to merely lecturing about playwriting she teaches interactively with her students so they can experience, first hand, the skills required in order to become professionals in their areas of study." These sentiments are echoed in letters from students in two additional classes, as well as individual students and colleagues, all attesting to her deep devotion to students and their creative and professional development.

 

IBRAHIM BADR
Department of French Studies, Faculty of Arts

 

Ibrahim Badr is held in high esteem by both colleagues and students for the valuable contributions he has made to the undergraduate programme in French Studies. Whether teaching French literature or French language, Ibrahim exudes a contagious enthusiasm for the subject and creates an open environment for exploring new ideas. A colleague who has team taught courses with Ibrahim commends the innovative, flexible and imaginative approach he brings to the work, his sense of humour, and his deep commitment to both his students and to the integrity of the course itself. In their evaluations of his teaching, students have consistently given high ratings for his ability to make the material understandable and exciting, his accessibility, and his generosity. They particularly appreciate the "personal touch" that marks his interaction with students where he helps each of them to discover deeper meanings within the material.

 

CAITLIN FISHER
Graduate Programme in English

 

Caitlin Fisher is credited as having influenced the pedagogy and intellectual approaches of other course directors and teaching assistants with whom she has worked. Her colleagues appreciate the freshness and vigour she brings to her teaching, noting that she has made critical contributions to the structuring of the course and has introduced innovative instructional methods to enhance the learning experience of her students, such as using listservs and webpages. The success of her approach is reflected in the high ratings Caitlin receives in her student evaluations and accompanying commentary, which applauds her ability to create a welcoming atmosphere where students can share their ideas and experiences, her assistance in helping them to understand difficult concepts, and skill in involving them in discussion both in the classroom and through electronic form.

 

 

JEAN NOBLE
Graduate Programme in English

 

In summarising Jean Noble's student evaluations, her nominator, Sana Mulji, writes: "[she] has impeccably high standards and a heart-felt commitment to students which fosters a rigorous and inspirational classroom experience." Indeed, Jean's ability to render the course material captivating and intriguing, her challenging questioning, her skillful use of a wide variety of learning tools, and the open and supportive atmosphere she creates in the classroom, all combine to make Jean's classes enjoyable and stimulating, and leave students looking forward to the next class. Likewise, in her individual dealings with students, Jean is appreciated for the careful attention she pays to their individual learning needs, and particularly for equipping them with the writing tools they need to succeed. Her colleagues observe that this approach serves to pique the curiosity of students and instill a lasting interest in the subject.