NATCHITOCHES – Five Northwestern State University faculty have been recognized with the 2020 Excellence in Teaching Award.
Here is part three in a series of profiles of this year’s honorees.
Name: Sarah Wright
Academic college/department: College of Business and Technology/School of Business/Computer Information Systems
Number of years at Northwestern State: 18
Why is teaching important to you? Teaching is a way to nurture and encourage students to reach their full potential and become a productive part of society. It’s not just about the subjects we are teaching, it’s about being there, listening, and helping them learn to deal with challenges that arise along the way. I like nothing more than seeing them get to the finish line and leaving with degree in hand a future ahead of them.
Why do you believe you are an effective teacher? I see each student as an individual and try to make sure all learning styles are covered in my classes both online and face to face. I am available to them and understand not everyone learns at the same rate. I am always looking for new and effective ways of delivering content and engaging the students.
As a teacher, what brings you a feeling of accomplishment when working with students? I feel accomplished when I see a student that has been struggling with content have that lightbulb moment. I also love to see them find a passion for computer programming they didn’t know they had.
How has the current pandemic affected your teaching methods? I have always taught my courses both online and face to face, so I felt prepared to switch over to online. However, most of the time the students that sign up for face to face courses really prefer that environment to online. I have had to come up with new ways to engage the typical face to face student in the online environment and make sure they get the attention and encouragement they need.
Have you learned anything during the pandemic that will make you a better teacher? I have learned to let go of the things I cannot control and steer my focus to the things I can. Overall, I think this has made me a better teacher.
