Marks is a full-time Tenured Psychology/Health Science Professor at Solano. In Psychology. Teaching Philosophy
First and foremost, I am a lifelong LEARNER myself. Learning is at the center of my teaching philosophy. My definition of the learning process is: LEARNING TAKES PLACE WHEN I change the way I think about this subject, change the way I feel about this subject, and change my behavior as a r
esult of this subject. What guides my teaching is an ATTITUDE to relentlessly find ways to cultivate a LEARNING environment that fosters deep critically thinking. Below are some key core principles that guide my decisions as an educator in higher learning. ATTITUDE- This has nothing to do with a positive attitude, even though I am an optimistic person. Rather, this ATTITUDE is a mentality, an approach to consistently look for ways to improve academically. This ATTITUDE is all about progression, growth, straining, and striving to pursue capacity in the learning process. Relationships- I teach the person first, then the subject. I care deeply about my students and have a deep regard for you as a person and as a scholar. Discomfort- The process of learning is not comfortable. In fact, learning new material takes tremendous effort and openness to explore new ways of looking at things, thinking about things, and applying critical thinking skills. Assessments- How do you know you are learning? I will provide multiple assessments in many formats that will provide you with the necessary feedback for you to measure if you are on track. You will have the opportunity to test yourself in many ways: essay exams, practice exams, multiple-choice, matching, fill-in, small projects, discussion boards, and much more. Learning is not linear, it takes on many forms. Learning as a process- The ends don't always justify the means. I am not interested in students who just want to "chase points" and find ways to pass tests. Rather, I am interested in building a LEARNING COMMUNITY that is centered on "the process of learning". Scholarship- You have the skills inside you to be a scholar. The goal is to relentlessly find ways to reveal to YOURSELF what your best academic self looks like. This takes a lot of work, and many times it takes pain that comes from discomfort.
