A Great Honor

I have received one of my greatest teaching thrills. Every semester, the campus center where I teach names it’s instructor of the semester. The students nominate the various instructors they feel are worthy and they write a paragraph or two as to why they feel the instructor should receive this honor. They are turned in, reviewed by the administrative staff and a decision is made.

This semester, I was named instructor of the semester. I taught two classes at this center and received nominations from students in each of the classes, in fact, multiple nominations from each class. I believe I actually received at least five nominations.

What is interesting is, in past years I have never received a nomination. There have been semesters where I felt I should have been nominated, but it never happened. I am not sure if it was because the students did not pay any attention to the notices about this event, were too nonchalant or did not think I was worthy, but I was never nominated.

This semester, I felt that many of my students didn’t “get me”. They were in class but seemingly just going through the motions and not responding to my comments or participating in the class discussions I attempted to get off the ground. This semester I felt was one where I should not have been nominated. I guess it is true that you never really know how you affect a student’s life.

Despite my feelings, I’m not giving back this recognition. I consider it an honor and I consider it recognition that I truly care about all the students I have had over the years. I hope that I have helped them and made a difference. I hope that, at least some of the students, feel that they are not only better public speakers, but better human beings because they have had me.

So I am proud and I will probably find a way to link a number of future posts back to this one because I truly feel like shouting from the rooftop that I have received this award, this honor, this recognition. I want the world to know (well, at least readers of this blog)