Show of hands for distinguished teachers

It was American scholar and cultural historian Jacques Barzun who said: "Teaching is not a lost art but regard for it is a lost tradition."

In showing high regard for its own teachers, UCT is inviting nominations for the prestigious annual Distinguished Teacher Award.

Both staff and students are invited to submit nominations. All members of staff who teach students are eligible for nomination, including junior lecturers, provided they have been teaching for a minimum of three years.

The Distinguished Teacher Award Selection Committee may recommend up to four nominees. Exceptional teachers, those who stand out above the other nominees, are usually awarded the Vice-Chancellor's Medal.

The winners will be formally announced at the December graduation ceremonies and the graduation programmes will carry citations recognising them. A purse of R10 000 is also attached to the award.

Last year's recipients were Dr Vanessa Burch (medicine), Dr Bette Davidowitz (Academic Development Programme in Ched and chemistry), Dr Sagadevan Mundree (molecular and cell biology), and Dr Helgo Schomer (psychology).

Nominations should consist of a detailed statement making a case for the award. Where possible, you should also include evidence of excellence in teaching over a number of years as well as some detail about the candidate's approach to teaching; whether the teacher's strengths lie in lecturing to big classes, in laboratory instruction, in using some innovative technique, and so on.

Send your nominations to the Senate Officer, Room 110, Bremner Building, by Friday, April 15, 2005, marked confidential, for the attention of D Wedel. Please note that it is not necessary to provide all the supporting documents by the deadline for nominations.