Young Teacher Award
Faith Barrett, 2006
"Faith Barrett, you came to Lawrence from California in 2003, bringing with you a great love for literature and a desire to share that love with others. In your teaching you bring a high level of scholarly accomplishment that has helped form the basis of your success. Your expertise focuses both on the work of Emily Dickinson, whose writing was the subject of your Ph.D. dissertation at the University of California, Berkeley, and on the poetry of the American Civil War. You have been successful in creating a sense of excitement in the students you have taught and in making them want to learn, explore, and understand.
You are regarded by everyone familiar with your work as an excellent teacher whose students learn a great deal in your courses. Students praise your ability to challenge them and to help them reach new levels of accomplishment in both writing and critical analysis. Faculty have commented on your willingness to spend many hours working with students both inside and outside of the formal classroom, and your generous gift of time is highly appreciated. It is clear that a great deal of your success comes from your individualized learning style that is based on a high level of rich interactions with students. The success of this approach is summed up by a faculty observer’s comment that your 'interactions with students are inspiring and enjoyable to watch.'
Your teaching has established a balance between attempting to cover a set of important points and allowing students to take responsibility for their own learning. The emergence of a sense of responsibility for one’s intellectual life is a critical part of becoming liberally educated. At Lawrence, we value the development of intellectual autonomy in our students, and it is clear that your teaching helps make that autonomy a reality. We are certain that when students think back to their classes with you, they will remember the excitement of studying poetry and other forms of literature. They will also remember your priceless gift of helping them become intellectually vital and independent.
In recognition of your teaching accomplishments, I am pleased to recognize you today and an outstanding young teacher on the Lawrence faculty."