Office of Internal Communications
|
October 26, 2004 OF HOUSTON TEACHERS INSTITUTE
To lead or not to lead? For David Judkins, the answer was simple – yes, of course. With those words, the associate professor of English began his tenure as Houston Teachers Institute’s (HTI) new director early this semester. In so doing, Judkins, who teaches Shakespearean literature, has become a Renaissance man, teaching on and off dry land, researching, writing and now leading the 7-year-old institute, a partnership between UH and the Houston Independent School District (HISD) that strives to enhance the skills of the city’s public school teachers. Judkins fills the position left vacant by founding director Paul Cooke, who decided to step down last spring after six years at the institute. “I have strong feelings about HTI and the work we’re doing,” Judkins said. “We’re improving the intellectual quality of teachers, so they can improve the intellectual quality of their classrooms.” Judkins plans to continue Cooke’s legacy of providing arts and science seminars to HISD teachers and fund-raising. Already, he has secured a $35,000 gift from Washington Mutual Bank for the institute. “Although UH will receive the gift, Washington Mutual is really supporting the improvement of K-12 education in Houston, and is particularly interested in helping disadvantaged students,” he said. As a longtime faculty member and a former public school teacher, Judkins brings to the position extensive expertise. He taught in English and reading in grades 5 through 12 in Australia, Hawaii, Michigan and Indiana for six years before pursuing his doctoral degree. “I’ve gained a real appreciation for public-school teaching,” he said. “It takes a tremendous effort to meet the challenges that public school teachers face on a regular basis.” Judkins’ challenge will be to juggle his HTI responsibilities while still teaching graduate and undergraduate students. In addition to his Shakespeare class, Judkins’ other classes include Renaissance, postcolonial and travel literature. In his spare time, he also teaches classes abroad and on ocean liners. As a visiting professor, he taught three times in the University of Pittsburgh’s study abroad program’s Semester at Sea on the SS Universe-Explorer. On two of those occasions, he sailed around the world. On the latest voyage, he sailed around the Pacific Rim, from Alaska to Russia to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii and then to Seattle. Despite his adventures on the high seas, Judkins always manages to return to campus, having taught here for 33 years. “This is my home,” Judkins said, referring to Houston and UH. “I have enjoyed my years at the University of Houston.” During his tenure at UH, Judkins has written two books, “Ben Jonson’s Non-Dramatic Works: A Reference Guide,” and “An Astute Student’s Guide to Study Abroad,” and several articles on Renaissance and travel literature. Francine Parker
|
||