June 16, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Teaching Is Also Learning At SMC Center For Teaching Excellence:

Lynn Dickinson respected and loved diversity, but she did not know how to “teach to it.” The Communication Studies professor joined Santa Monica College (SMC) in 2013, fresh from a media industry background that included working as editorial director for Hollywood.com and a stint as a tour publicist for Weird Al Yankovic.

New to teaching then, Dickinson applied to a “Faculty Summer Institute (FSI)” organized by the SMC Center for Teaching Excellence. The two week institute brings selected faculty together for workshops where they hear from experts on better ways to reach students – to help them succeed.

“It raised my intercultural competence, and I realized that all my students are unique,” says Dickinson. “Now, I try to teach in as many ways as possible.”

“In the short time that I have come to know the faculty at SMC, I have been impressed by their openness to exploring new approaches to teaching and their dedication to students,” says Dr. Pedro Noguera, Distinguished Professor of Education at UCLA, and one of the nation’s most recognized voices on public education reform. “With such an amazing group of educators, it is hardly surprising that SMC has become recognized as a leader in higher education.”

The Center for Teaching Excellence is funded by a federal grant for colleges like SMC that serve a large number of Latino/Hispanic students. The Center works to support faculty who teach basic skills, transfer, and career technical education courses.

Music professor Brian Driscoll was one of 42 instructors who participated in the Center’s FSI this year, and found the tools he needed to remedy what he already knew: that his students were too diverse to allow a “one size fits all” approach.

“Now, I feel more comfortable and capable of helping students address the non-musical challenges that they face in their education,” says Driscoll. “It inspired me to do a complete overhaul of course materials and change the way I create classroom experiences.”

English professor Elisa Meyer – another FSI participant – says she went from being an “effective instructor” to an “empowered and proactive” one.

“I learned these new reading apprenticeship methods that I have used in my pre-transfer-level English classes,” says Meyer. “Before I implemented these strategies, I’d been hearing students say that they realized they haven’t been reading – or that they didn’t understand – a text, and this illustrates the value of challenging my teaching methods.”

“You have to pour yourself into it, show that you care,” says Math professor and former Center faculty leader John Quevedo. “And not just show it, you genuinely need to care.”

There is a little rock that sits on Quevedo’s desk with the words “Positive Mental-Math Attitude” painted on it, which serves as a conversation starter with students. A large percentage of incoming students are at the basic skills, pre-college level, and Quevedo understands that there are circumstances outside the classroom that can stand in the way of success in the classroom.

“What the Center does is make sure that faculty have the support and safe space they need to talk about challenges they face,” says Roberto Gonzalez, SMC Dean for Student Success Initiatives.

ESL professor Keith Graziadei, another Center faculty leader, trains his colleagues to use new technology in their classrooms.

“I’m always looking for new things to do… what can I do to make my teaching more effective?” says Graziadei. He uses a tool called Camtasia to video mini lectures for his students to supplement their reading assignments.

Edna Chavarry, Interim Director of Academic Affairs Initiatives, believes the Center is one of the things that set SMC apart from other community colleges, and from many private ones.

“By creating a space for instructors to experiment with the craft of teaching, SMC proves that it is a place where learning does not stop with students,” says Chavarry.

For more information on the Center’s activities, email Chavarry_Edna@smc.edu or call 310-434-8719. Visit www.smc.edu/center to discover all the ways the Center for Teaching Excellence is supporting excellent teaching at Santa Monica College.

Santa Monica College is a California Community College accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

in News
<>Related Posts

Senator Alex Padilla Forcibly Removed, Handcuffed at DHS Press Briefing in Los Angeles

June 13, 2025

June 13, 2025

Security or Censorship? Padilla Removed After Questioning Secretary Kristi Noem U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was forcibly removed Thursday during...

Film Review: Ballerina

June 13, 2025

June 13, 2025

FILM REVIEWBALLERIINARated R125 MinutesReleased June 6th I’m happy to see the contrast in the style of movies playing this summer....

(Video) Senator Alex Padilla Being Forcibly Removed at Secretary Kristi Noem’s DHS Press Conference for Attempting to Ask Questions

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

In a disturbing and unprecedented move, FBI agents grabbed the sitting California Senator, dragged him out of the room, and...

THIS WEEKEND: Skate Series Hits Venice with $25K Top Prize

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

The Venice Beach event will showcase street-level action, judged on amplitude, trick difficulty, execution, style, and overall impression Skateboarders are...

Virtual Event to Explore Palisades’ Horticultural Heritage

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

The event will highlight how these trees continue to inspire community resilience and regrowth The Santa Monica Mosaic series will...

SMPD Announces Safety Measures Ahead of Upcoming ‘No Kings’ Rally on Westside

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

Enhanced patrols, rapid-response teams, and advanced technology for situational awareness are part of a detailed operational plan The Santa Monica...

THIS WEEKEND: Santa Monica Hosts 33rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

The event, which draws over 2,000 attendees annually from Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, and beyond, was first funded by...

World-Class Chefs and Local Farms Bring Culinary Magic to Santa Monica This June

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

3 Nights, 3 Unforgettable Dinners: Santa Monica’s Michelin + Farm Feast Series A trio of exclusive culinary events is set...

Third Annual Rosé on Rose Wine Fest Comes to Venice Beach This Weekend

June 11, 2025

June 11, 2025

Rosé offerings priced between $8 and $10 per glass at various Rose Avenue establishments The third annual Rosé on Rose...

Mastro’s Malibu Reopens With Ocean Views, Signature Steaks, and Nearly Entire Staff Intact

June 11, 2025

June 11, 2025

Iconic Oceanfront Steakhouse Returns With Its Beloved Butter Cake, Nightly Live Music, and Sunset Glamour After a five-month closure due...

Chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken Serve Up Pride Month Specials That Give Back

June 11, 2025

June 11, 2025

Limited-Time Food, Cocktail Offerings at Socalo and Alice B. Support LGBTQ+ Centers In honor of Pride Month, acclaimed chefs Susan...

New Gourmet Store O&V CA Opens on Montana Avenue

June 11, 2025

June 11, 2025

The store, which celebrated its grand opening recently, specializes in a carefully curated selection of fresh, extra-virgin olive oils  A...

Santa Monica Secures Nearly $1M to Expand Neighborhood Greenway Projects

June 11, 2025

June 11, 2025

The 36-month project, set to begin this summer, includes community engagement through pop-ups, walk audits, and a citywide survey Santa...

Congregation and Family Fight to Stop Sale of Historic Venice Church

June 11, 2025

June 11, 2025

Descendants and supporters rally against alleged unlawful sale, seeking historic status and legal action Members of Friendship Baptist Church and...

Rodeo Realty’s Palisades Office Becomes First Rebuild Post-Fire

June 11, 2025

June 11, 2025

The structure, now fully framed, is set to reopen this year Rodeo Realty announced that the reconstruction of its Pacific...