All faculty at Wooster pride themselves in their teaching. My colleagues and I take our vocation — as professional educators in the broadest sense — very seriously. I think that is one reason why Wooster ranks so highly among liberal arts colleges as having some of the “best undergraduate teaching.”
Every year faculty at Wooster are evaluated on their teaching, research, scholarship, and service to the college. But teaching excellence is the preeminent value. I think that’s one reason why so many faculty at Wooster show up at summer workshops or weekly brown bag lunches — they want to hone their crafts and know that they can learn from others.
I did not get my start in college teaching, and now — several decades later — I know my beginnings in the profession was the best trajectory for me. After earning a M.A.T. in Science Education, I taught middle school for several years. It was in this environment that I really learned to become a compassionate and empathetic teacher who values student diversity in all forms my classroom. After leaving for graduate school and eventual college teaching, I took many of those lessons learned with me. Of course college teaching is approached at a faster pace, at a different knowledge-level, and with an altogether more mature age group. However, at the heart of teaching is the goal of promoting learning, to reach each student in a manner that leaves an indelible impression.
That’s what we are all about at The College of Wooster. Independent minds, working together…toward that common goal of creating new knowledge in an environment that supports individual differences, nurtures community learning, and celebrates moments of creativity.