UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 16, Page 2
January 4, 1996
Bob Hampel encourages class discussion, interaction

     Bob Hampel, associate professor of educational development, had a
varied career before he joined the Delaware faculty in January 1985.
     He spent eight months on unemployment, two years at Franklin and
Marshall College and four years with a foundation-financed study of
American high schools.
     Three months before interviewing at Delaware, he declined a job
at CBS in investor relations because he knew he wanted to teach.
     Last spring, he was named one of four recipients of the
University's 1995 excellence-in-teaching award. "It's particularly
meaningful to me," Hampel said, "because it's based on student
nominations."
     Hampel teaches graduate-level classes in education policy,
involving such timely issues as court cases on desegregation, funding
and finance, the role of the federal government in education and
school choice.
     Hampel said the highly motivated students in his classes-most of
whom are experienced teachers and administrators-are a major reason he
enjoys his job.
     "I like the fact that 95 percent of the students are full-time
educators who work all day and come to class because they want to be
here," he said. "Some are taking two courses a week, and they are
committed and diligent."
     In the classroom, Hampel said his objective is to "say as little
as possible and encourage discussion and small group interaction. In a
class of 15, everyone can participate."
     While he admitted that students first look at his syllabus with
concern when they notice assigned readings of six books and several
articles, they later tell him they are amazed that the readings are
both lively and informative.
     "Most graduate students have the preconception that reading
assignments must be ponderous, difficult and long," Hampel said, "but
that doesn't have to be the case. I would never assign a reading that
I wouldn't be willing to give to a friend."
     Hampel said his classroom teaching and research interests enrich
each other. "I see them both conveying ideas that excite me. A lot of
what I'm writing about finds its way into my classroom. The research
definitely reinforces the teaching."
     His current research focuses on two areas: high school reform
efforts-in particular, why some schools keep their momentum when other
sites falter-and the history of standardized testing in America,
especially its beginnings in the 1920s and '30s.
     Spending a semester in the governor's office as a University
public service fellow in 1987, evaluating school improvement projects
and serving as a trustee for the Sanford School have allowed Hampel to
continue to gain real world experience.
     "I also believe that because I teach adults I learn a great deal
from them," Hampel added. "I have school superintendents,
administrators and excellent teachers. It's not a one-way transmission
of my knowledge.
     "There's one more thing. If you are teaching in the College of
Education about educational reform, you have to practice what you
preach. You can't lecture for three hours when the book discusses new
ways to get students engaged. The teacher's worst enemy is seeing
every student sitting in class and doing nothing but taking notes."
                                                         -Ed Okonowicz


This story is part of a series of articles featuring the 1995
recipients of the University's excellence-in-teaching and excellence-
in-advising awards.