Dr. Lenore McWey Named FSU's Teacher of the Year

Lauded by her students as a teacher who creates a welcoming and engaging classroom environment with a contagious passion for her subject matter, one of Florida State University's most passionate faculty members has been selected to receive the university's top teaching honor.

Dr. Lenore McWey, an associate professor of the Department of Family and Child Sciences in the College of Human Sciences, received the 2012 University Distinguished Teacher Award during the Faculty Awards Ceremony April 9. She received a $7,500 stipend along with the award.

"Dr. McWey enjoys a great following among her students," said Billie J. Collier, dean of the College of Human Sciences. "She establishes instant rapport with them and brings a wealth of knowledge to her teaching."

"Dr. McWey is an outstanding teacher and so deserving of this award," said Kay Pasley, chair of the Department of Family and Child Sciences. "She is known for engendering mutual respect among students, challenging them to think critically about the discipline, engaging them from day one in the research process, and mentoring graduate students for the rigors of academic life. I particularly value her intentional approach to teaching, which is evident the careful planning and creative strategies she uses."

Students who nominated McWey complimented her ability to be "hilarious at 8 a.m." and said they would take a class on any subject as long as she was the one teaching it. One described her as being "more than a teacher, but a mentor whose thoughtful, conscientious and sincere manner I can only hope to emulate when I teach others."

With a self-deprecating charm about her teaching style, McWey claims to sometimes fumble over her words, create a mishap with classroom technology or be the only one laughing at her own bad puns. Yet, she maintains that she loves the experience. She prides herself on using different instructional techniques so that both auditory and visual learners will have opportunities to understand course content in a format that is best suited for their needs.

"I emphasize active learning, integrating activities into classes so students learn by experiencing the material," McWey said.

As part of building a solid framework for her courses, McWey makes sure that her students know that she has high expectations of them.

"I believe students perform their best if they trust that I expect the best from them," McWey said.

McWey earned a doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy from Florida State in 2002, a Master of Education degree in Mental Health Counseling from the University of North Florida in 1997, and a bachelor's in Psychology from Florida State in 1993.

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