2008 Outstanding University Graduate Student Teaching Award Winner- Masters I
Elizabeth Zold, M.A.
- M.A. in English, Illinois State University (2008)
- Graduate Assistant, English
Teaching philosophy
The instructor is not a proprietor of knowledge; my focus is to help students become invested in understanding and analyzing the world around them.
Most rewarding aspect of teaching
Watching students make connections. Whether it is in the text we are reading or between classes they are taking, having students think critically is always the ultimate learning goal of my classroom. Building connections helps students to realize the interconnected nature of learning as well as promotes further, deeper inquiry.
Least favorite part of teaching
Summative assessment. Grades do serve a purpose, but I dislike how they have become (for some students) the center of education and the desired focus of the classroom.
Most important improvement I have made
Learning how to ask good questions. I love it when a question sparks a conversation so that the students talk to each other and do not look to me to lead the discussion.
For colleagues who want to become an outstanding teacher, I recommend
Continually assess yourself along with your students’ learning. Reflection allows one to grow as an instructor through evolutions in how he or she might approach teaching a concept, idea, or text.
