[nativestudies-l] Lisa Brooks receives Roslyn Abramson Teaching Award at Harvard

[jkauanui at wesleyan.edu]

Robert Warrior passed along this excellent news.

Congratulations, Lisa!!! (Hope you're on this list.)

>
>
> Undergraduate teaching recognized
>
> By Emily T. Simon and Steve Bradt
>
> FAS Communications
>
> The old tradition of bringing an apple to class to thank the
> teacher may have long ago faded from popularity, but the notion of
> gratitude for first-rate instruction is alive and well at Harvard.
>
> Every spring, the Roslyn Abramson Awards recognize assistant and
> associate professors in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences who have
> demonstrated excellence in undergraduate teaching. The awards honor
> those who have shown devotion to education, inspired College
> students, and exhibited sensitivity to their students� needs.
> Honorees receive a grant that can be used for either summer salary
> or research.
>
> This year�s winners are Lisa Brooks, assistant professor of history
> and literature and of folklore and mythology, and David Parkes,
> John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Natural Sciences.
>
> �Lisa Brooks and David Parkes engage students with their unbridled
> enthusiasm for their subject matter,� says Michael D. Smith, dean
> of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Gordon McKay Professor of
> Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. �Their teaching is
> informed by a keen awareness of their students� interests and
> grounded in the development of critical thinking skills that will
> serve their students well for years to come. I am delighted to
> congratulate these two remarkable teachers, scholars, and
> colleagues on receiving the Abramson Award.�
>
> LISA BROOKS
>
> Lisa Brooks teaches courses in a range of sizes � lectures in the
> English Department, small folklore and mythology seminars, even one-
> on-one tutorials in the History and Literature Department.
> Regardless of the number of students, however, Brooks sees each
> course as a space for intellectual exchange.
>
> �I learn as much, if not more, from my students as they do from
> me,� says Brooks. �I am grateful for the incredible collaborative
> teaching experience that I have had with the students here at
> Harvard, who have shared their sharp insights, challenging
> questions, and deep interest in thoughtful deliberation.�
>
> Brooks draws her inspiration for intellectual exchange and debate
> from the University Charter of 1650.
>
> �For me, being at an institution whose governing document is
> grounded in a commitment to the �education of the English and
> Indian youth of this country� is highly significant,� she says.
> �Collaboration and exchange form the base of this commitment, to
> which many of us are actively engaged in holding ourselves
> accountable.�
>
> Along with her colleague Malinda Maynor Lowery, assistant professor
> of history, Brooks has developed an interactive curriculum for
> Native American history and literature courses, which has enabled
> Harvard to foster collaborative teaching relationships with Native
> American leaders, scholars, and artists from across the country.
> She is also actively involved in the Harvard University Native
> American Program.
>
> �Working with Native American communities in the region and beyond,
> and watching the interaction and learning that takes place between
> them and our students, has been one of the most rewarding aspects
> of teaching here,� she says.
>
> Like many professors, Brooks sometimes finds it challenging to
> balance teaching, research, organizing, and personal commitments.
> When she�s feeling overwhelmed, though, Brooks draws on solid
> reserves: the family members who �made it possible� for her to be
> here.
>
> �My grandfather worked a double factory shift and a third job,
> while my grandmother worked full time as a cook, while raising
> seven children,� she says. �What I do is a privilege. When it gets
> tough, I think of them, and remember.�
>
> Brooks says she is �truly honored by the award and grateful for the
> many opportunities that have been made available to [her] as a
> teacher and scholar.�
>
> http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2008/05.08/05-abramson.html
>