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Ohio University President Robert Glidden

By Robert Glidden An encouraging word is a powerful thing. When it's spoken by a teacher, the effect can be enormous. Surely you recall a time or two when a teacher's thoughtful comment or assurance in your abilities made you reach higher, work harder and dream bigger than you might have otherwise. You may owe your choice of careers to just such an individual. In this issue of Ohio Today, you'll meet -- or perhaps gladly reacquaint yourself with -- five wonderful Ohio University teachers, past and present. Our students and alumni are fortunate that many, many others easily could have been held up as such examples. Professor of Philosophy John Bender talks with a student. Photo by Rick Fatica These are professors who understand the enormity of their responsibility and are humbled by it. They are inspired by their subject and eager to share it. They see their students not merely as members of a history or biology class, but as people, and their actions and attitudes reflect that perception. They make time to be good listeners and advisers, sometimes at the expense of their own research or personal obligations. They are clear in their expectations, and they hold students to them. One of the most enjoyable events of my year comes each spring when I invite the University's newest faculty members to breakfast in small groups of 10 or 12. By the last quarter of the academic year they've had a chance to acquaint themselves with our university culture, get to know their colleagues and settle into their responsibilities. Their comments are heartening. They speak of a supportive atmosphere, an engaging community and fellow faculty who model strong teaching practices. Yet they see the challenges inherent in their task of molding scholars. Thankfully, there are resources to help them and other faculty meet those challenges. Ohio Program of Intensive English lecturer Cynthia Holliday conducts a class. Photo by Rick Fatica The University's Center for Innovations in Technology for Learning offers guidance in incorporating Web and other advances into their teaching approaches. The Center for Teaching Excellence provides resources and programming, including a new mentoring program in which successful faculty members share with their newer colleagues techniques for exposing students to their research. In May, a two-day campus event will focus on the scholarship of teaching and learning, giving faculty an opportunity to exchange ideas and hear from experts in the field. A new Ohio University honor, the Presidential Teacher Award, is another means of articulating what it means to be a good teacher. Up to five faculty members annually can receive the award, which carries a $15,000 cash prize, the title of Presidential Teacher and the responsibility to share effective teaching practices with peers. The bar for this honor is high, the standards rigorous. The University Professor Award, Distinguished Professor Award and college and departmental recognitions also reward teaching excellence. My personal encounters and correspondence with alumni and students constantly remind me of the good work done by Ohio University's current and former teachers. Grateful alumni often share stories with me of the self-confidence they built from a faculty member's encouragement, the insight they gained from a little advice. It all sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? Rest assured, it isn't. Good teaching should never be taken for granted. It requires extra time, extra care and extraordinary talent. We are fortunate at Ohio University to have a faculty tradition of pride in the quality and conscientiousness of our teaching.