Pieter Slaman moved by the LUS Education Prize: ‘The most beautiful prize there is’
‘What more could I want?’ University and education historian Pieter Slaman is still deeply touched to have been awarded the LUS Education Prize for best lecturer. What makes the prize so special to him, and does he already know what educational innovation he will be using his prize money for?
When Pieter Slaman reflects back on the moment when his name was called out as the winner of the Education Prize, he still feels himself ‘glow’. ‘It is the most beautiful prize there is, because the nomination comes from my own students, and the jury also consists only of students. To me, that makes it the most sincere and honest prize out there.’
Slaman is visibly moved as he explains what the best lecturer prize means to him. ‘You put a lot of time, love, attention, and energy into teaching. But strangely enough, that is not what you build your career on, while it is perhaps even more important than doing research. The fact that we are now devoting attention to all that work, it alleviates some of this massive difference in appreciation for research and teaching.'
Stopped teaching
The Education Prize, which was presented during the Opening of the Academic Year, came at a special time for Slaman: he has stopped teaching for now, because the colleague he was replacing for three years is back. ‘Going out with a bang like that, it feels like a major victory.’ Slaman calls it a strange situation, although he is also quick to add that he has no intention of leaving Leiden University. He regrets not being able to teach for the time being, and he is sure that he will miss it. On the other hand, the university historian is also happy to be able to focus on his research as the 450th anniversary of the University is nearing.
Lectures
Pieter Slaman teaches lectures on Dutch history, Dutch education, and the history of Dutch universities, as well as themed lectures on how to write a thesis or paper.
Attuning to the experience of students
The jury chose Slaman as the winner of the prize because he uses humour and has an open attitude towards his students. Slaman’s lectures look different depending on the time of the day. ‘Especially if you start at 9.15 a.m., you have to activate students right away. So I start with a bold proposition and ask them to discuss it in groups. Fifteen minutes later, I can start explaining things. At the end, I like to do a group discussion in which students get to reflect on how the class material relates to their own experience.’
He sometimes responds to those experiences very directly. On the morning Russia invaded Ukraine, Slaman’s students were upset and kept looking at their cell phones. He decided to forget about the lecture and watch Rutte’s speech on TV together. ‘We then talked about it with each other. At times like this, you also become very aware of the fact that teaching is not only about content, but that it is also important to talk about how students experience the world. I do create problems for myself with that, because I still have to make up for the content a week later,’ he says, laughing.
A successful lecture
Slaman considers his lecture a success if he and his students leave the room still fully engaged in conversation. Or if he notices students in the hallway still talking about his lecture. ‘When there’s laughter and a spirited discussion, students feel engaged, and it all goes well. Those are the lectures they will remember.'
Many ideas on what to do with the prize money
Winning the LUS Education Prize is not only about the honour, but also about the € 25,000 for an educational innovation. Slaman has not yet decided what he will use the money for, mostly because he still has too many ideas. He is thinking, for example, of a module on academic freedom. ‘What should you always be able to say without hesitation, and what not?’ But he is also considering a website on how to write a paper, as the one that is currently available is outdated. Or a course on how to deal with Artificial Intelligence. ‘Maybe we could invite students to reflect on what is permissible or not in the world of AI. In any case, my ideas have not yet fully concretised. But what I do know is that I want the educational innovation to reach beyond my own students. So that I can use this prize money to make a small difference for many students.’
Text: Dagmar Aarts
Photo: Monique Shaw