NATCHITOCHES – Five Northwestern State University faculty have been recognized with the 2020 Excellence in Teaching Award.
Here is part five in a series of profiles of this year’s honorees.
Name: Lisa Wolffe
Academic college/department: Louisiana Scholars’ College
Number of years at Northwestern State: 33
Why is teaching important to you? I hope to inspire my students with a love of French or Spanish and with an interest in and a desire to visit foreign countries. I think that learning a foreign language and about foreign cultures helps foster understanding and improves the students’ knowledge of their own language and culture.
Why do you believe you are an effective teacher? I listen to my students and am available to them. I am interested in my subject and try to impart my enthusiasm to them. As a teacher, what brings you a feeling of accomplishment when working with students? When students wish to pursue their language studies and when they go abroad through ISEP, MICEFAA, or another way, I feel I have encouraged them to explore their world a bit more and that they have opened up to new experiences and new ideas.
How has the current pandemic affected your teaching methods? I missed my students when we were forced apart by the pandemic. I am using online sources more in case we are forced off campus again by the virus.
Have you learned anything during the pandemic that will make you a better teacher? I have figured out how to use Webex which will help if we are online again.
