Teaching Associate in the Faculty of Arts, Department of Classics & Ancient History
Return to the BTA shortlist page.
[Leonardo] approaches every topic with so much enthusiasm that you can’t help but enjoy his classes, and this enthusiasm also means that I enjoy learning Latin and Greek now so much more than I ever thought I would. My interest in the subject is even maintained during assessments, thanks to the variety of methods that Leonardo employs in exams
Leonardo is the most interactive and helpful lecturer…, he goes a long way to create an extremely positive atmosphere in seminars and will always go above and beyond in helping students…
His support is outstanding. In class he makes an interactive learning environment, always encouraging us to answer questions whilst making sure that we know there is no pressure if we don’t know the answer and that we can use him as a ‘living, talking dictionary’. This really does allow room for experimentation, risk taking and learning from making mistakes.
During [Leonardo’s] lessons, not including delivering a high standard of teaching, his number one priority is always ensuring that we as students understand what is going on and don’t feel too overwhelmed or stressed about new content.
Leonardo is always available over email and is happy to give detailed responses in case we need clarification on something we don’t understand, and always encourages us to book office hours if there is something a bit more complex or lengthy that we need support in going over.
[Leonardo] created such a fun, safe and productive space for all of us, whom I’m sure all felt the same as I do.
The greatest thing about Leonardo’s teaching was that there was no judgement. People, like myself, who are relatively shy in the classroom and reluctant to answer questions, became comfortable answering questions without hesitation, without any fear of judgement. He treats his students equally and always with the utmost respect.
Always making classes interactive and stimulating. For example, he always adds interested information on the history of the Latin language and it’s evident how passionate he is about the subject and that makes me feel inspired.
The learning environment he creates encourages us to feel comfortable contributing and reminds us that making mistakes is part of the learning process.
[Leonardo] is able to see how students have come to a certain translation and rewards any attempt, no matter how off the mark, not by correcting outright but by guiding the student to bit by bit to arrive at the corrections. This is one of the best aspects of the class that I have seen in my time at university and I am very appreciative of it. Finally, he does all these things in a professional yet approachable manner which help to inspire the good learning environments that he has in his class.
Leonardo is an excellent teacher who constantly and consistently goes above and beyond to help his students. Countless times he has uploaded extra documents and resources to Blackboard covering topics that we might not get round to in this module, or he has specifically covered topics that people brought up as troublesome or worrying in the mid-unit feedback
We asked Leonardo how he felt about being nominated and shortlisted.
It has been such a joy to work with my students and I am delighted to have received such wonderful feedback. Conveying passion for Classics and Classical Languages, by making them accessible and enjoyable to learn, is at the core of my activity as a Teaching Associate. So I am deeply grateful for this recognition!
