Seven Northwestern State University faculty have been recognized with the 2021 Excellence in Teaching Award.
Here is a profile of one of this year’s honorees.
Name: Connie Jones
Academic college/department: School of Business, Hospitality Management & Tourism
Number of years at Northwestern State: 26 + years
Why is teaching important to you? I love the excitement of sharing my passions. Classroom teaching has never felt like a job. I am blessed to be paid to do what I love. I have been “teaching” since I was 16, first Sunday School, then tutoring in high school and college, and finally teaching patients and their family members in the hospital. I try to treat people equitably and adapt to their uniqueness and individual learning needs.
Why do you believe you are an effective teacher? I don’t have a one size fits all approach. I respect people and want to see everyone succeed. Yes, I do get frustrated, but I try put on a smile and push through.
As a teacher, what brings you a feeling of accomplishment when working with students? The end product. They come to us with a variety of skills and knowledge and passions and they all leave us different persons, but hopefully ready for fulfilling employment and the motivation to reach for the stars.
How has the past year affected your teaching methods? As little as possible. I have small classes and have attempted to keep everyone engaged in the classroom and the culinary lab. I do WebEx, and I have almost learned to not mind that I am on camera. HMT students are better suited to face to face learning. I truly believe that for us, it should be totally face to face or totally online
Have you learned anything during the last year that will make you a better teacher? I have added a few online teaching skills to my portfolio but remain a face to face teacher at heart. I love the classroom and the advising process.
For more on Mrs. Jones, go to https://vimeo.com/584676478
