College of Education faculty members Ted Neal, clinical professor of science education, and Lesa Hoffman, professor of educational measurement and statistics, were recently honored for their exemplary teaching and mentorship.
Neal and Hoffman were both bestowed with Collegiate Teaching Awards—the highest recognition of achievement in teaching given by the UI College of Education.
Neal’s students describe him as a professor who empowers and inspires future teachers, giving them broad and unique learning experiences that expand their understanding of what it is to teach.
One student explains: “There were so many times throughout my time in this program that I wondered if teaching was really for me. The first person I would look to for motivation is you. You taught me the value to what I was doing.”
Other nominators convey: “By the end of the first class, I knew what kind of teacher I wanted to be. I wanted to be like Ted Neal” and “It’s professors like you that make me proud to become a Hawkeye Teacher!”
Hoffman’s students describe her as a professor who employs multiple, innovative instructional methods, your vast scholarship in the quantitative research field, and extraordinary awareness of students’ needs to bring students from a space of intimidation and overwhelm to a space of mastery and inspiration.
One nominator says, “Dr. Hoffman’s ability to foster a nurturing and inclusive classroom environment is the reason her classes have campus-wide enrollment from a variety of disciplines. Her empathetic approach and acknowledgment of the challenges associated with learning advanced statistical methods create a space where students feel comfortable engaging, making mistakes, and growing intellectually and professionally.”
Another shares, “Lesa fosters a nurturing and inclusive learning environment where students feel empowered to ask questions and explore the depths of their curiosity.”
The Collegiate Teaching Awards are presented at the spring faculty and staff meeting and each carries a stipend of $2,000.
