Montgomery County Community College took time to celebrate a part-time faculty member who has gone above and beyond to help her students achieve success in the classroom.

Education Senior Lecturer Lara Ferris was named a recipient of the College’s Teaching Excellence Award during an online ceremony Wednesday, Oct. 7. Teaching excellence awards recognize full-time and part-time faculty whose teaching is intellectually stimulating, accessible for all students, and demonstrates a commitment to the well-being of students both inside and outside of the classroom.

“I love what I do and I love working at Montco,” said Ferris. “The people and the students there are so nice. To be honored and know that what I love to do is meaningful to other people brings me happiness and joy.”

Ferris, who lives in Pottstown, began her career at MCCC in 2002 as a developmental reading teacher. Very quickly though, the Education Department asked if she could teach a math methods course and she soon found herself working in both the reading and education departments teaching various courses. For the last two years, she’s taught solely in the Education department. She currently teaches three classes and supports students in Tutorial Services.

Ferris’ love of teaching began at an early age. She grew up in Northeastern Pennsylvania in the Scranton suburb of Honesdale. Her mom was a teacher and Ferris can remember playing school as a child.

“I liked helping my mom grade spelling tests,” she said. “I enjoyed the work she was doing and was always a fan of school. I thought why not work where I love?”

Ferris earned a degree in elementary education with an early childhood education certificate but said even then she knew wanted to work at the college level.

After years of teaching at the elementary level, she and her husband Paul moved to the area and she saw an advertisement for an open position at the College.

“It just worked out,” she said.

As part of the nominating process for the Teaching Excellence Award, students are asked to share their thoughts on a faculty member, which are later read during the award’s presentation.

“In their letters of nomination, one of Lara’s students writes that ‘Ms. Ferris provided course material in a way that was not just reading the textbook; she brought real-world teaching issues into the discussion that contributed to spirited debate in our discussion boards,” said Gloria Oikelome, Vice President for Academic Affairs, during the online ceremony. “And she helped students see their potential.”

“Another student commented, ‘Ms. Ferris is an excellent educator and a role model,’” Oikelome continued. “‘She is attentive, gives feedback, has great organizational skills and phenomenal course design. I am an Education major and her teaching ability inspires me.’”   

Hearing the words from her students left Ferris admittedly “a bit teary.”

“That’s why I do it,” she said. “I believe in education and the value of education.”

One of the biggest lessons she imparts on the teachers of tomorrow is the importance of caring and being present for their future students.

“A student will say to me ‘why are you so big on attendance?’ And I’ll say ‘you have to show up -- and show up every day. If you have a cold, you’re in a bad mood, your car didn’t start – you have to turn it off and be there for them.’ I’m glad they’ve picked up on that.”

A sign of a good teacher is someone who isn’t complacent when it comes to finding ways to get better at their craft through innovation. This year especially, Ferris said, has been a challenge as the whole world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March, though, she has been finding new ways to continue teaching online and worked hard to prepare for teaching Zoom synchronous courses in the fall.

“I was scared,” she said. “How do I do this now? How do I keep students engaged? How do I initiate discussions? Everyone’s hesitant on a screen. I spent time researching what works and talked to people.”

The weekend before classes began this semester, she and some colleagues even practiced holding virtual classes to work out as many kinks as possible, she said. She’s also found success by choosing a student in each of her classes to serve as the class assistant to help with posting instructions in the video chat room and other tasks that can benefit everyone.

Ultimately, Ferris said, she’s learned a lot from the experience.

“It’s a good challenge,” she said. “You get used to doing things the same way. I’ve been thinking of new ways to do it, which may spill over when we’re back teaching face to face.”

During the virtual award ceremony, Montgomery County Community College President Victoria L. Bastecki-Perez thanked Ferris for her service during the online ceremony.

“Thank you for everything that you do. Not only inside the classroom, but outside of the classroom. Know that your legacy has and will continue to make a difference not only in the lives of our students as they become professionals but also in the children and youth whose lives they will touch and it continues into our communities,” she said. “So again, thank you, congratulations, and I am deeply honored and humbled to be part of today’s celebration in your honor.”