John Davidson
National Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award Winner

It was a real honour to be chosen as one of Victoria's two nominees for this year's National Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards. I had little idea, however, what I'd let myself in for! I was informed of my nomination at the end of January and had till the end of March to prepare a Teaching Portfolio for submission to the Awards Committee. Two months sounds like a reasonable amount of time in theory. The reality, however, is somewhat different. February is a time when we're desperately trying to make progress with our research before the teaching year commences, while at the same time advising students and preparing for teaching. Then March hits us like a sledgehammer as teaching gets underway. Rather foolishly, I'd put preparation of the Portfolio on the back burner and found myself faced with the daunting prospect of composing it when I was heavily involved in all aspects of Trimester 1 (including being Classics Programme Director), already feeling exhausted, and with the days in March quickly ticking by.

As I recall it, I basically devoted one whole weekend to the task (I was lucky enough to be excused from housework duties Ð it helps to have a wonderfully supportive partner!). Others would perhaps be advised to take considerably longer over the process, to allow more time for revision, although I suppose there might be advantages in the one-off expenditure of energy. In my case, I was, for the first time, formulating on paper a philosophy of teaching based on my experience at Victoria over 35 years. I was also attempting to address the detailed and complicated criteria set by the Awards Committee. I had naturally been thinking about the process on and off in the preceding weeks, and had received some helpful hints from Kathryn Sutherland at UTDC soon after my nomination came through. I had even jotted down a few notes. The completion of a convincing and polished document, however, was quite a different matter. One aspect which IÐhad attended to in reasonable time was asking a range of people to act as supporting referees, and so I was able to tailor some of the Portfolio material to what was said in the references.

What did I focus on in my portfolio? Among other things, the sheer enjoyment and satisfaction I've derived from all types of university teaching (from 100-level lecture classes to PhD supervisions in both Greek and Latin and also Classical Studies), my total commitment to the teaching component of my job, the way in which I respond to both positive and negative feedback, my on-going self-criticism and quest for excellence in each teaching/learning situation, the insights that I've acquired from students and colleagues alike, my experiences of team-teaching (in some cases outside of my own discipline), my availability to talk at length over issues with students on a one-to-one basis, the special teaching techniques which I employ from time to time (such as costume changes and other'ad hoc visual aids), my course designing and assessment régimes, how I tailor my approach to different types of students, how I've learnt from my mistakes and changed my strategies, how I've adapted to changing times and changing student backgrounds and expectations, how my teaching is strongly based on my active research, and how I relate the concerns of classical antiquity to 21st century New Zealand students.

I was advised of my success in the National Awards in early June and, along with Associate Professor Judy Brown from the School of Accounting and Commercial Law, attended the Awards Ceremony at Parliament about two weeks later. This was a most enjoyable occasion, with a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. The politicians said nice things about the universities (!) and about the importance of maintaining high teaching standards (a point rather lost sight of last year in the PBRF lolly scramble!), and it was most interesting to meet the award winners from other tertiary institutions, representing a range of disciplines. The winners from 2003 presented us each with an extra gift, an especially nice gesture.

I regard my award as also an award for my subject, Classics. I've been fortunate in my career to operate in an environment where teaching is regarded as important. I have always worked with colleagues (both full-time academics and tutors) who are committed, excellent teachers (this applies to teachers outside Classics as well), a number of whom have won VUW awards, colleagues who have helped to fire my enthusiasm and stimulate my desire to be as effective as possible, colleagues from whom I've learnt much. And I've also been fortunate in working (for the most part!) with interested and interesting students. With regard to language teaching in particular, I owe a debt of gratitude to my wife Brigitte Schütte, a teacher in the German Programme of SAELC, whose expertise and enthusiasm has given my own language teaching a new lease of life in recent years. With regard to the Portfolio process I owe particular thanks to my referees, to Jody Connor who typed and formatted the entire document at a moment's notice, and to Kathryn Sutherland who, in addition to initial advice, devoted much time (when she was extremely busy herself) to editing and more sharply focussing it.

Now it's a question of spending the money! I haven't yet come to a final decision on this, but I plan to use a sizeable proportion of it anyway to further develop the teaching of my discipline in general. There should also be something left over to enable me to make more effective use of available technology as an enhancement of (not as a substitute for!) the personal capital I put into my teaching. Vivat Academia! Vivant Professores!