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: Jessica Parr
Academic college/department: School of Creative and Performing Arts, Theatre and Dance
Number of years at Northwestern State: 17 years
Why is teaching important to you? I love teaching others how to make art together. Some students have more trouble with the “art” part and some with the “together” part, but both are important.
Why do you believe you are an effective teacher? – I’ve been teaching for a while, and you learn as you go. You try different things, keep what works, let go of what doesn’t.
As a teacher, what brings you a feeling of accomplishment when working with students? I love watching a student’s confidence progress as they learn new skills. At first, they’re proud of a new accomplishment. As they use that skill, confidence spills over into the rest of their life as well.
How has the past year affected your teaching methods? I learned to project more while wearing a mask.
Have you learned anything during the last year that will make you a better teacher? I’ve gained a comfort level with technology that I didn’t have before.
For more on Mrs. Parr, go to https://vimeo.com/584681418
