English professor Michelle Hartley receives Angela Armitt Award from Western

King’s English professor Michelle Hartley is humbled to be recognized by her students and colleagues for doing what she loves the most: encouraging students to be active, engaged, creative and independent thinkers.

With over 12 years teaching in the Western community, Hartley is receiving Western’s Arts and Humanities Angela Armitt Award for Excellence in Teaching.  Hartley teaches at Western and instructs part-time at King’s and Huron.

Hartley joined the King’s community in 2005 where she continues to teach Canadian, Postcolonial and Children’s literature studies.  Although she tends to jump from campus to campus, Hartley feels connected to the close-knit and collegial atmosphere at King’s.

“Teaching excellence is as much about the students as it is about the instructor.  Most professors strive to teach well and make sure their students get a lot out of that teaching,” says Hartley.  “I never thought about receiving this award because I’m here for the love of what I do.  Fortunately, my passion communicated itself to enough people and I’m grateful to receive this lovely, and surprising, award.”

King’s English professor Brian Patton was one of several nominators to submit a letter on Hartley’s behalf.

“What I find most impressive about Michelle’s approach to teaching is how  she weds her knowledge and enthusiasm to carefully planned classroom strategies aimed at bringing to life what she describes as ‘the flexible classroom’,” says Patton.

Utilizing technology and the web during her class lectures, Hartley provides every student an opportunity to engage online and participate in discussions.

Hartley is looking forward to a full roster of courses to teach this coming fall, and will be offering Canadian and Children literature classes at King’s for the 2013-2014 academic year.  Although Hartley has made a considerable impact on her students and colleagues at Western, King’s and Huron, she does admit that teaching at one place would be a lovely experiment for her someday.

The Arts and Humanities Angela Armitt Award for Excellence in Teaching awards a faculty member who demonstrates a level of excellence in the areas of classroom and seminar teaching at the undergraduate and/or graduate level, course design, curriculum development, thesis supervision and educational outreach.

For more information about King's English Department, please visit www.kings.uwo.ca/academics/english/