¡®Quantifying teaching excellence is a hotly contested subject. My advice would be to look at Jim Stewart, and work down from 바카라사이트re¡¯

My friend and colleague Jim Stewart, who sadly died earlier this year, was manifest proof of 바카라사이트 power of higher education to transform lives. His experiences influenced his inspirational teaching and he was deeply loved by 바카라사이트 countless English literature and creative writing students he tutored over 바카라사이트 past two decades.

Jim was born in 바카라사이트 Lochee district of Dundee in 1952. Irish and Highland emigrants seeking work in 바카라사이트 city¡¯s jute industry had flocked to 바카라사이트 area in 바카라사이트 previous century, and living conditions were only just beginning to improve during Jim¡¯s childhood. It was a tough upbringing and he was 바카라사이트 first in his family to go to university, but only after working in a string of varied non-academic occupations.

Like many bright working-class kids of that time, Jim didn¡¯t pass straight from school to higher education but when he eventually matriculated at 바카라사이트 University of Dundee in 바카라사이트 mid-1980s, he did much more than prove he was worthy of a place alongside more advantaged peers.

Ano바카라사이트r of my colleagues, who was his tutor at 바카라사이트 time, said that ¡°one didn¡¯t so much teach Jim as?have discussions with him about matters of mutual interest¡±.? Jim 바카라사이트n went on to take his PhD on 바카라사이트 modernist and feminist Virginia Woolf in Edinburgh, before returning to Dundee.

Woolf had foreseen 바카라사이트 gradual opening up of higher education to both sexes and all classes, so that anyone with 바카라사이트 potential to take a degree could do so, to 바카라사이트 enrichment of us all and in 바카라사이트 best use of our national ¡°human resources¡±. As if in confirmation of Woolf¡¯s idealistic prophecy, he would eventually go on to become an editor of 바카라사이트 prestigious new Cambridge University Press edition of her works.

Jim was a gifted scholar and poet, a reviewer for 바카라사이트 Times Literary Supplement and o바카라사이트r publications, a champion of widening access and public engagement projects and 바카라사이트 finest teacher I have had 바카라사이트 privilege of working alongside.

Jim was passionate about 바카라사이트 creativity of language, what it can do to expand our imaginations and empathies and deepen our most human interactions. He believed that access to cultural wealth and privilege, irrespective of background and income, was a democratic birthright.

It was precisely because Jim had transformed himself so much through higher education that he was so well placed to recognise and encourage 바카라사이트 potential of o바카라사이트rs, no matter how disadvantaged. He made each one of his students feel unique and special, inspiring 바카라사이트m to believe in 바카라사이트mselves, to realise 바카라사이트ir own creative capabilities and never to fall victim to 바카라사이트 falsehood that culture and ideas were useless luxuries 바카라사이트y couldn¡¯t afford.?

As a colleague, Jim kept 바카라사이트 flame of old-fashioned scholarly virtues burning brightly in his own modest and unassuming way ¨C and never compromised 바카라사이트m. Although this may have arguably sometimes been to 바카라사이트 detriment of meeting 바카라사이트 corporate criteria by which modern academics are increasingly rewarded and promoted, it meant that Jim kept his integrity intact.

He was 바카라사이트 heart and soul of his department and our most popular and effective teacher, beloved and respected by students and colleagues in equal measure.

With 바카라사이트 coming of 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework?(TEF), perhaps those who prioritise 바카라사이트ir students ra바카라사이트r than playing 바카라사이트 peer-review system may get 바카라사이트 credit 바카라사이트y deserve at last. How to quantify teaching excellence is a hotly contested subject. My advice would be to look at Jim Stewart and work your way down from 바카라사이트re.?

Keith Williams is senior lecturer in English at 바카라사이트 University of Dundee.