Outstanding teachers at UNT do make a difference for students. They make learning challenging and fun; they are available when needed; and they weather many storms with students to foster bright futures. Our Featured Faculty page provides opportunities to recognize these outstanding faculty and instructors who are highly engaged in student learning and pedagogical practice.
The Teaching Excellence Spotlight showcases faculty and instructors nominated by their peers, students, and/or themselves. Each month during the academic year, we feature the most recent nominee with an interview where they share insights into their teaching practice.
Students can also recognize outstanding faculty and instructors via our Thank a Teacher program. Thank a Teacher allows students to directly thank teachers via thank you notes submitted at the end of the semester as a part of a letter of recognition from the Provost. Students can submit as many thank you notes as they wish and choose to remain anonymous.
Scroll down to learn more about these programs and to submit nominations for Teaching Excellence Spotlight and Thank a Teacher.
“My teaching skills continue to improve when I am being a better listener to what individual students need to succeed in the classroom.” —Dr. Rebekah Knight
Teaching Excellence Spotlight Award
May 2018 Recepient
Dr. Rebekah Knight
Our May Teaching Excellence Spotlight awardee is Dr. Becky Knight, adjunct professor in the Rehabilitation and Health Services Department with the College of Health and Public Services. Dr. Knight specializes in teaching courses in gerontology for majors and non-majors alike; including such courses as AGER 2250: Images of Aging in Film and Literature and AGER 4750: Sexuality and Aging. In order to make such topics accessible to college students, Dr. Knight has students look to their own lives to illustrate theory, concepts, and research and uses a team-based learning approach to build an interactive learning environment.
Nominate
Excellent teachers enrich not only their students, but also their departments, disciplines, and the UNT community at large. Students, staff, and faculty can nominate UNT instructors for the Teaching Excellence Spotlight. Each month during the academic year, we feature nominees who share insights into their teaching practice. To nominate a teacher, click the button below.
Past Awardees
Thank a Teacher
When teachers make a difference in students' lives, many students wish for a way to say “thanks.” Students often say that their teacher has: made the course interesting; made learning fun; provided valuable help in future career choices; was supportive during a difficult time; and/or was inspirational.
Students who want to share their own thanks can click on the button below to fill out the online form. You can submit as many of these forms as you wish and choose to remain anonymous. After final grades have been submitted, the notes are sent to the teacher as a part of a letter of recognition from the Provost.