OXFORD, Miss. \u2013 A University of Mississippi graduate instructor in
\nEnglish has received an award recognizing him as an outstanding teacher
\nof freshmen.<\/p>\n
Travis Montgomery, a native of Tecumseh, Okla., is the fourth recipient
\nof the annual Lawrence “Shaky” Yates Award for Best Teacher of Freshman
\nEnglish. The honor includes a $600 prize.<\/p>\n
“When you’re a freshman, you’re trying to get used to the university
\nenvironment, the new requirements, learning the new expectations, and
\nthis requires taking a new attitude toward revising papers,” said
\nMontgomery. “I try to help students write clear thesis statements and
\norganize paragraphs effectively.\u00a0 I feel that if students can leave my
\nclass and revise papers well, then I have succeeded.”
\n
Patrick Quinn, chair of the English department, said that Montgomery is a young man who has a love and dedication for the English language.<\/p>\n
“He really cares about the language and realizes how important it is in today’s world,” Quinn said. “He wants his students to have a firm grasp of the language, giving them the confidence to go forward in whatever section of the world they choose. I think it is rare to find someone this strongly dedicated to his students, and this is why Travis won this year’s award. “<\/p>\n
Yates, who taught English at Ole Miss from 1946 to 1953, was notorious for his strict teaching principles. The award was created in 2004 by UM alumnus Carl Odom of Hattiesburg and his wife, Jeanine Sheats Odom. Yates taught Odom freshman English in 1949. Odom graduated in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.<\/p>\n
“We listen to a great deal of student feedback before we make any decision about the award,” said Quinn.\u00a0 “Last year, I had several students tell me Travis had many good ideas which excited them about writing, and comments like this aid in the decision-making process.”<\/p>\n
“It’s nice to receive awards like this, but I don’t deserve one more than other instructors here,” Montgomery said. “We all help each other devise assignments or classroom strategies, and we often ask each other for advice. So I guess if we receive awards like these, then we should acknowledge our colleagues.”<\/p>\n
Montgomery received a bachelor’s degree in English from Oklahoma Christian University in 2002.\u00a0 He then received a master’s from the University of Mississippi in 2004 before enrolling in the graduate program. He has taught freshman composition courses, as well as several advanced English courses. His dissertation discusses Edgar Allan Poe and Orientalism, examining the Middle Eastern influence on Poe’s writings.<\/p>\n
For more information about the Department of English, call 662-915-7439 or visit http:\/\/www.olemiss.edu\/depts\/english.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"