Tuesday, March 3, 1998
Professor's dedication to teaching inspires students
Editor's Note: This is the sixth story in a weekly series profiling University professors and instructors. This story focuses on Jackson Spielvogel, associate professor of history.
By PATRICIA K. COLE
Collegian Staff Writer
When he was about 5 years old, Jackson Spielvogel would teach
class in his backyard to the neighborhood children. The subject
of the classes ranged from the ABCs to basic counting. He even
wrote a textbook for his young students.
"Teaching is something that I truly enjoy doing," said Spielvogel, an associate professor of history who has been at the University for more than 30 years. "All my life I have never felt that I had a job. . . . It's been a labor of love."
Jackson Spielvogel, associate professor of history, speaks to his History 002 (Western Heritage II) class. Spielvogel has been at the University for more than 30 years, and created the class History 143 (The History of Fascism and Nazism) one of the most popular classes at the University. (Collegian Photo/Mike Morones - click for full size image)
"For me it was like coming home, coming back to Penn State
(after receiving his graduate degree from Ohio State)," he
said.
Although he will miss the students, Spielvogel said he would like
to spend time writing a novel, learning to play the piano and,
most importantly, spending time with his four children and his
wife who underwent open-heart surgery last year.
His presence in the classroom will be missed by many people, especially
by one student.
"I have lucked out not only having one of the best professors, but having one of the best professors be my father," said Kathryn Spielvogel (junior-history).
- Kathryn Spielvogel (junior-history)
"I'm sure that last lecture I give, I'll be crying,"
he said. "I'm starting to prepare that one already."
His daughter said it is unfortunate that his last lecture will
not be in History 143 (The History of Fascism and Nazism), the
class that he helped create about 20 years ago and is still one
of the most popular classes at the University.
In all his classes, Spielvogel uses different methods to increase
student involvement and understanding, such as music that matches
the theme of the lecture, smaller discussion groups, video clips
and slides and a laid-back lecture style with no notes and plenty
of jokes.
"Do you know why George Washington is called the 'Father of his Country'?" he joked during a recent lecture of History 002 (Western Heritage II). "George Washington is literally the father of his country."
(Collegian Photo/Mike Morones here - click for full size image)
"It's more than just going and taking down the notes in class,"
he said. "For a lot of people, history is just names and
dates. But in (Spielvogel's) class, it's more than that."
His emphasis on teaching and his refusal to focus on one area
may have made him one of the most popular professors, but it has
not encouraged a promotion to full professor, Spielvogel said.
But the numbers of letters, teaching awards and expressions of
thanks from former students is the greatest benefit of his career,
Spielvogel said.
"There are so many people who say 'your father is my mentor,' " Kathryn Spielvogel said, "and they mean it."
