reasurances from 1994

Winter quarter, 1994:

 

"Class taught in a very interesting fashion, a lot of humor involved. Mrs. Smith has a certain wit in teaching this difficult material. I personally liked her before & after class consultations and very much appreciated being able to contact her at home for help. Mrs. Smith is an ideal professor for this course." - Walter Barnard

"Dr. Smith is great. Every once in a while, she got a little confusing, due to difficulty of course material. She brought it down to our level often. Great teacher!" - Paula Hart

"Mrs. Smith is a good teacher and very fair. She helps you as much as she is able to if she sees that you are trying. I think it is too much material to cover in such a short time." - Deanna Weaver

"Ms. Smith has been a wonderful instructor. She is very knowledgeable of chemistry & presents it in a way that is fun & easy to understand. I've missed a few classes due to hospitalization, & Ms. Smith had went out of her way to help me catch up. She cares about her students. Thank you for working with me and teaching me." - Penny Hollingsworth

"I believe that Faustina Smith is a great teacher. We need MORE teachers like her. If all ASC professors were like her, we would be happier students. She encourages students to learn & use the material. She is very fair and prompt of tests. Some teachers don't give them back before 2 or 3 weeks." - Michelle Hanicey

"In all my life I hated chemistry and usually did poorly. But, this quarter, Ms. Smith showed me a different side of chemistry - I actually ENJOYED it (which is scary!). Her grading allowed for me to do well, even after going through a very painful divorce. She taught very well and in a way I could actually UNDERSTAND. She made learning chemistry fun - which made the two hours twice a week just fly by! Thanks for being such a great teacher! I will ALWAYS remember you!" - June Frink

"Mrs. Smith is a very good teacher. She is always on time, the lesson is always interesting, and an understanding is always obtained." - Kahala Scott

"I feel that the school or the Department should consider revamping this course. It is unfair for individuals who have never had chemistry or just high school chemistry to be thrown into a class that covers this much material on a subject like chemistry." - Ethel Bolden

"Mrs. Smith made the course most interesting!! I enjoyed her adding humor to the classroom & allowing every student to believe that they had a chance to pass this course, even with no prior knowledge of chemistry. I studied harder than I ever studied in my life." - George Jones Jr.

"There is too much information cramed in to this 10 week course for a person who have had no chemistry at all. This is supposed to be an introduction to chemistry, it should not have as much work cramed in to a 10 week course. The course should be more explainable than it is." - D. Sills

"I feel because the subject matter was so difficult, the professor had me lost at times. The text book was extremely hard to understand. I enjoyed this class and feel that my knowledge in chemistry has been greatly enhanced. I enjoyed how Ms. Smith would do her "dance" when she taught (when she would get INTO material her hands would fly around). Thx." - unsigned

These are all the written comments submitted to the department for my class section.

(Pete Zipperer taught the other class section of the course.)

Why did I include the two comments that dealt with the course material and not me?

That was to provide an opening for me to speak her of the course.

CHE 201 was a combination course, seeking to provide an introduction to general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry within a ten-week span.

Whew, right?

The course had no associated lab, so students had no opportunity for hands-on engagement for better understanding of concepts.

I designed several show-and-tell demonstrations in an attempt to correct that lack.

I also would tell the students of experiments they could perform at home, perhaps with their children, to encourage more interest in chemistry.

The majority of the students in my night class were working people, out of their teens, with families, that lived off campus - as did the majority of students at the time.

Armstrong State College had a student population of about 3000 at that time and was still very much a community educational source.

 

Spring quarter, 1994:

 

"Mrs. Smith is an excellent teacher who goes out of her way to make sure students understand the subject matter. Thank you for all of your help." - Heidi Robinson

"Mrs. Smith is down to earth and relates to her students on a personal level. She made our class fun, not very exciting but what could one expect from chemistry! I'm glad I go the opportunity to meet her. She's a wonderful person." - T. Harris

"I enjoyed this course very much and enjoyed having Mrs. Smith for a teacher! The only thing wrong with this course was the study guide and text! Thank you very much for teaching me so much." - Rebecca Jackson

"I thoroughly enjoyed this chemistry class. Upon entrance to this class I was uneasy about chemistry, being I had never had it before. Mrs. Smith gave me confidence in my work. She encouraged students to call her at home when they had a problem they could not figure out on their own. She made herself available to the students all of the time possible. All around a great instructor." - Julie Hanton

"This was a great class. Mrs. Smith was an excellent teacher! Thank you." - Daniel Whetstone

"Mrs. Smith has a way of making a subject that could be very confusing easy to understand and enjoyable. She is an excellent instructor." - Julie Goethe

"I was very happy with the course. Professor Smith was quite helpful & willing to work with the students. I will definitely recommend her to other students. The book that was assigned to this class is very confusing. I hope that this book is changed to something with a more understandable format. (However, Prof. Smith helped with the understanding of the information.) Armstrong has a very strong faculty and Prof. Smith is a fine example of an excellent teacher." - Cassie Shelton

"I found chemistry to be more interesting than I thought it would be. There was alot of material to cover in just 2 nights a week, but Mrs. Smith went over everything that was to be on the test. I enjoyed this class and learned alot more than I thought I would, but I am glad it's over." - Linda Brock

"Upon entering this chemistry class I was very fearful of failing. Prof. Smith has taught me chemistry in such a way that it is easier to understand. I won't say that it is EASY to understand because I don't think chemistry could ever be easy. She has really tried to make herself available to the students. She will answer any questions that you might have. She has developed an interest in me in this course." - Stephanie Campbell

"Mrs. Smith is a great teacher. I struggled in her class but she always kept encouraging you to do better. She made things very interesting to learn. She helped us understand the subject better by putting it in her own words. I really enjoyed the challenge this quarter. The class was not as stressful as quarters before as  far as the classroom atmosphere. She is a real enjoyable teacher." - Kimberly Wiley

"The course was very interesting, and the instructor was terrific. When I felt I was at my lowest I was given encouragement to continue and try harder. The text book is a different story." - unsigned

"Mrs. Smith made course interesting in a relaxed environment." - unsigned

"The strengths of this course was how molecules were broken down, the learning of our body pH levels, and the terms used in chemistry labs and hospitals." - unsigned

 

That last one was very cool, right?

The student actually showed me I'd made an impact!

Why did those last three students not sign their names? 

They were concerned about their opinions affecting their final grades.

I always made sure the students knew that I would not see their remarks for at least two weeks after the quarter ended, meaning their grades would have been turned in well before these surveys were in my hands... but, that's okay.

How very nice to have found them in my Ocean Room closet, stuck away on a shelf, waiting for my eyes to read these kind words again.

Fall quarter, 1994:

"In my opinion Mrs. Smith is a great teacher, she presents the material in a manner that is not "over our heads". She is very fair and very helpful." - Vanessa Hooks

"I can honestly say that I learned something in this class because of Professor Smith. I wish that she could instruct Che 202. Professor Smith is the definition of a good instructor. She came to class early and stayed late many times to offer help to students and I really appreciated that!" - Olivia Moultrie

"Course was fast paced but well presented. The questions on the test were covered thoroughly in the lectures. Mrs. Smith presented the material in a way that made it easier to understand." - Margaret Brantley

"Professor Smith was able to rid me of my fear of chemistry. She was extremely effective in her teaching and gave us all confidence in our ability to do well. Her helpfulness and availability was extraordinary! Her overall goal was to truly help us understand chemistry and to use what WE learned in the future." - Linda Rahimitobas

"When I came into this class I had never taken chemistry before, and I didn't know anything about chemistry, but Mrs. Smith is a very jolly instructor, who made me interested in this class. And this is how I learned and it is how I understood. She was a great big help. Thanks." - Stephanie Nevils

"Ms. Smith was always willing to stay after or meet before class to clear up any questions I may have had. Being out of school for many years this class encouraged me to think. I felt that the class was in depth but was always a challenge. Ms. Smith helped me want to learn more about chemistry. I attended some lectures to help me better understand the work of chemistry. Thanks." - Michael Uritescu

"In the past, the term chemistry frightened me. But in this course, I have learned that chemistry is simply a matter of being taught the material correctly. Professor Smith taught the material effectively and geared it towards each students needs. She also helped the individuals who were having problems and gave every individual the chance to excel." - 1LT Turia Tilque

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I wish I'd had more time to study. Overall I am pleased." - unsigned

"This is a very fast paced course. It moves along so fast I never grasp the complete meanings. I found it hard to keep up." - unsigned

"Professor Smith is very precise in her teachings. I notice that she pauses and looks around the room to see if we have blank looks on our faces. She makes sure we understand before moving on." - unsigned

 

And so ended my first academic year of teaching this course.

Why did I include that second unsigned remark?

That's to remind me that you can't help someone who will not ask for that help.

I love the first unsigned one in this collection.

That student acknowledged that time management was an area they could have done better, but that was not the fault of the material or the teacher.

Good for them!

And good for me to know of the effect I had for these starfish.

I am so grateful to have found these again.

My thanks to Henry Harris and John Brewer for inviting me to first teach this course during the fall of 1993... and then for encouraging me to stay for years afterward.

I never even applied for the job - 

I had simply come out to the campus to visit my favorite professors -

then the work was simply offered to me by those who knew me, by those who had taught me during my three years as a student at Armstrong.

I am so blessed.

Right place, right time.

i thank You, God.