UWP ag professor John Tembei selected as teaching fellow
PLATTEVILLE - The Wisconsin Teaching Fellows program establishes a network among gifted teachers at UW institutions statewide. John Tembei, assistant professor of animal science at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, has been selected as a 2005-06 Wisconsin Teaching Fellow.
In his fifth year at UWP, Tembei is committed to continually improving his classroom technique through professional development activities. He has twice participated in the UW Faculty College, a program whereby faculty from UW institutions gather each year on the UW-Richland Center campus to network and share classroom techniques.
"You get to meet with other faculty, experienced faculty. We all come from different backgrounds, but you learn from everyone," Tembei said. "Every time I've gone there I've come back with a different idea. The learning process never ends, that's what I seem to see."
A native of Cameroon, Africa, Tembei earned undergraduate and master's degrees from Iowa State University and Auburn University, respectively, and holds a doctorate degree in animal science from South Dakota State University. At UW-Platteville, Tembei teaches animal science courses and has been involved in several research and professional development activities. Last year, he conducted research into foreign diet management systems and attended an international animal science conference in St. Louis, Mo. In addition to his responsibilities as an instructor, Tembei has advised the UWP School of Agriculture's Academic Quadrathlon team the last three years. "He tries to get students involved in hands-on laboratories. He's a knowledgeable person who has the best interest of the students in mind, and that's a real plus," said UWP School of Agriculture director Mark Zidon. "He has a background from Cameroon, and he's able to bring a perspective to our program that adds to our Southwest Wisconsin farm culture."
Before coming to UW-Platteville in 2000, Tembei worked as a researcher at DeKalb Genetics and taught for three years at Kishwaukee College in Malta, Ill.
"I kind of got interested in teaching when I was at DeKalb Genetics. I just took one class to teach at a community college that was nearby. Within nine months, I gradually saw myself shifting away from the research aspect of the company to teaching," Tembei said.
Wisconsin Teaching Fellows participate in several seminars and related events during the school year, and Tembei looks forward to the opportunity to gain knowledge from other UW System educators. Tembei recognizes that education never ends, not even for the teachers.
"The biggest thing that I would want to get from this teaching fellow experience is to be able to learn from the experts in the field, the experienced teachers who have been in the field," he said.
One faculty member from each UW System campus is selected each year to become a Wisconsin Teaching Fellow. Faculty and academic staff in their first six years of college teaching are eligible for the fellows program.
Contact: John Tembei, assistant professor, UWP School of Agriculture, 608-342-1063, tembeij@uwplatt.edu
Prepared by: Dan Lehnherr, UWP Public Relations, 608-342-1194, lehnherd@uwplatt.edu
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