We are pleased to announce that Effie Harrington is the 2024 recipient of the Stephen Horne Award for Excellence in Teaching. Harrington was nominated by five students in her Spring ’24 “Inventing Childhood” course.
One of the students stated in their nomination:
"Effie Harrington is an outstanding teacher and inspiring mentor. I looked forward to her creative, engaging lectures and the detailed feedback she provided on writing assignments, which helped me refine my ideas and become a better writer. Her classroom environment is relaxed but intellectually challenging: She supports and encourages her students while pushing them to engage more critically. Her passion for literature and teaching is evident, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from her!"
Another student wrote:
“She was one of the best professors I have had at Duke. Effie always went out of her way to meet with us, and she provided excellent feedback on every assignment. She was indeed a one-of-a-kind professor with an incredible passion for teaching that rubbed off on the students.”
These compliments came from students in Harrington’s English 290 Special Topics in 18th and 19th Century course. The syllabus for “Inventing Childhood” contains Harrington’s vision for the course to guide its members through the pioneering literature around childhood to help them think critically about questions like, “What is ‘childlike,’ and is it desirable?” The Brothers Grimm Fairytales, originally titled German Popular Stories (1823), Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (1843), and Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) are some of the pieces the class read and discussed during the semester. It is clear from the students’ comments that Harrington’s teaching is outstanding.
The Stephen Horne Award for Excellence in Teaching is presented annually to a graduate student instructor in the English Department who demonstrates outstanding commitment and excellence in the classroom. Instructors are nominated by their students, and the final selection is made by the Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with the DGS Advisory Committee. This award was established in memory of Stephen Horne, a 1991-97 graduate student in English who displayed an inspiring passion for teaching that was evident to his students, friends, and mentors.
English Department
