What started as another day of teaching for Walter Davis, Wayne Gorder and Douglas Kline turned into a well deserved break from class when the Kent State Alumni Association and administrators made a surprise visit to their classrooms in October. Greeted with balloons and treats for their class, each of these professors received great news that day that they had won the Distinguished Teaching Award.

Their excellence in the classroom, dedication to their students and outstanding nominations proved they really are deserving of the Distinguished Teaching title. 
 

Walter Davis       
Exercise, Sport and Leisure, Kent State University at Kent

How does it feel to be a recipient of such an honorable award? 

WD: It is amazing, exciting and humbling. The greatest pleasure is sharing the honor with my students, colleagues, family and friends.

Why do you enjoy teaching?

WD: I love the students, sharing their lives with them and seeing the growth and fulfillment they experience. I love the atmosphere of learning, discovery, knowledge and most important, imagination.

What is one of your most memorable moments teaching?

WD: I have had many. Seeing one of my graduate students experience an “aha moment” in coming to understand the ETA teaching model after a couple of semesters in our teaching lab and subsequently taking the model and using it in his teaching and supervisory role at a developmental center. I have had other students apply the model in their teaching with great success. Also, I have appreciated seeing students, who seemingly struggle with difficulties outside the class room, persevere and succeed in the classroom.

Walter Davis

Douglas Kline
Biological Sciences, Kent State University at Kent

How does it feel to be a recipient of such an honorable award?

DK: We have some excellent teachers and scholars at Kent State University. I know that many of my teaching colleagues are also equally strong candidates for this award so I feel honored to receive it.

Why do you enjoy teaching?

DK: Teachers learn from their students and Kent students have a lot to offer. I learn from students in the classroom, in the laboratory, in office hour discussions and in our “coffee with Kline” meetings.

What is one of your most memorable moments teaching?

DK: My most memorable teaching moments at Kent State include the preparations that precede the classroom instruction.  I especially value the times I have worked with colleagues in the Department of Biological Sciences and those in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services as we developed instructional materials for biology education. The discussions we had improved our teaching and it was very satisfying to successfully use the units we developed in the classroom.

 
Douglas Kline

Wayne Gorder
Music, Kent State University at Kent

How does it feel to be a recipient of such an honorable award?

DK: It is very humbling. I'm fortunate to be able to work with upper division and graduate music majors, a very select group of students. Their ability to work at a high level of achievement is stimulating and challenging.

Why do you enjoy teaching?

DK: Again, the students I work with are talented and devoted to their discipline. It's a pleasure to share great music with them.

What is one of your most memorable moments teaching?

DK: In May of 2008, we performed on the main sage at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in Washington DC. The students performed extremely well, and we included a composition of mine that I wrote for the Kent Wind Ensemble.

If you would like to nominate a professor the 2010 Distinguished Teaching Award, please visit the Kent State Alumni Association’s Web site at www.ksualumni.org/dta.  

By Stephanie Mathias, Kent State Public Relations Major

 
Wayne Gorder