2015 Teaching Initiative Award Winner
Kathryn Jasper, Ph.D.
- Ph.D. in History and Medieval Studies, University of California- Berkeley (2012)
- Assistant Professor of History and Affiliate Faculty of European Studies
The best moment in my teaching career
I once spent three hours in my office with a student editing her senior thesis. The enthusiasm of this particular student was so great, I hardly noticed the hours go by. And I was in no way doing most of the work. She and I collaborated completely on the edits and she later told me that she felt more like my colleague than my student.
The person that has been the most important influence in my teaching career
My Latin teacher, Father Reginald Foster, is the kind of teacher I want to be. It is his commitment to his students that inspires their devotion. I found myself trying to channel Father Foster’s energy in the classroom during the past several years, and it has been the best decision of my career.
The most embarrassing moment in my teaching career
I once tried to explain the “War of the Two Sicilies” in too much detail and the entire class revolted. The next received a hand out with loads of details which only made the situation worse. I had completely failed to communicate the information. I learned that not the details rather the big picture is most important.
The one teaching technique or strategy that I would recommend to my colleagues to enhance student learning the most
Never hide your emotional connection to the past. It can inspire students more than almost anything else.
