triple takers and those afar

How about that we take that last part first, shall we?

Absolutely, let's!

I know I mentioned in the past that I had taught a Distant Learning class that the Chemistry Department had been asked to experiment with.

(Just a little joke, from me to you!)

Dr. Harris and company had decided that CHE 201, with no attached lab, would be the ideal candidate for this test.

The class would be simultaneously held at both Armstrong State College and Brunswick Community College.

Was I willing to take on such a project?

I was, and I did!

That was in Fall quarter of 1995, with Dr. Dick Nordquist in charge of the technical aspects and the logistics of the dual class.

I would teach as I usually did in front of the Armstrong students, writing on the chalkboard as I lectured and giving examples of the principles, and my televised image would be cast to a large monitor for the Brunswick students.

Here's the thing: those students comprised roughly 25% of the total enrolled.

I decided they should experience me teaching live for that percentage of the lectures.

That meant that five times during the quarter I drove down to their campus to teach, allowing the Armstrong students the opportunity to fully experience Distant Learning by having a turn at watching me on the television monitor.

It was certainly a novel way of teaching at that time!

I remember watching Dick walking about with a portable phone the size of a shoe box, coordinating with the camera crew at the other campus -

hard to believe phone technology has come so far in just 25 years.

Anyway, the students at both campuses enjoyed having me live, especially when I would be performing demonstrations about moles, acid and base interactions, and such.

Remember, this course had no lab for hands-on for the students; I tried to make sure my in-class experiments were with household ingredients, so they could repeat them at home for practice and to show off to their kids.

(smile!)

After that first lecture, I had a student that joined late.

Was it possible to see a recording of the missed lesson?

Good question!

Dick liked the idea of doing that; as he told me, the equipment was already in place to accommodate such a request.

If I would supply the VHS cassettes (which had not been included in the budget), then he would be glad to make sure my future lectures were recorded for later viewing.

Most excellent!

So I did, and the library allowed the tapes to be held on reserve, so the students could ask for a second, or third, or however-many viewing of the material. 

That was a real benefit to the students as a study aid!

I even left the collection of tapes at the library for several years, referring students to view them if they happened to miss a lecture during future terms.

And what feedback did I receive that Fall 1995 term?

 

Grace Sachs: "Professor Smith was excellent! This was my first quarter attending here (at ASC) and if she is representative of the caliber of faculty staffed here, I am looking forward to the rest of my education. Eagerly! Thank you for an educational and FUN quarter. You certainly made it challenging and rewarding for me as a student. Please continue to do so."

 

Ginger Loy: "Professor Smith has a great sense of humor & takes command of the class. She is one of the better faculty members on campus. I think she deserves a raise."

 

Cathy Rich: "Professor Smith is the most thorough instructor I have had the pleasure to study under. I wish more instructors had the knowledge of their course subjects that Professor Smith does."

Robert Cole: "Professor Smith is an excellent instructor. She is both fair and impartial, unlike most of the instructors at Armstrong State College. Both my interest and knowledge of chemistry have been enhanced."

 

Karen Brozycki: "Professor Smith is an outstanding instructor. She takes what is traditionally a complex and intimidating subject and makes it understandable and learnable. The effective manner in which Prof. Smith presented the material had a great impact on my success in this class, and for that I thank her." 

In addition, there were seven who wrote feedback anonymously.

 

"Prof. Smith is an excellent teacher. She knows the material and explains in an enthusiastic way. She makes every effort to make chemistry a subject for everyday use."

 

"Very helpful to working students."

 

"Prof. Smith is a very good instructor. I would take a class from her again. She handled the Distant learning class fairly and clearly. I do think that we should be aware a class is D. Learning before we sign up. I pay for an instructor to be in my class room 100% of the time. It would have been nice to know otherwise & I may have taken another class."

 

"This was a good class. Prof. Smith is an excellent instructor who cares about her students. I feel that because of her winning personality I did well in this class."

 

"Professor Smith was excellent. One couldn't ask for a better taught chemistry course. Simply excellent!!"

 

"Excellent professor. The best one you have here."

 

"Great teacher!!!"

As for Distant Learning, the experiment in teaching chemistry, as well as classes in the Humanities department, was just for that one quarter.

To my recollection, no more such classes were held.

Perhaps students at our community college preferred their instructors live and in person, rather than on a tv screen.

I certainly can understand that!

During this time of COVID pandemic, all I hear from those I know in school, whether as students or instructors, is how much they miss face-to-face interaction.

Me, too.

-----     -----     -----

 

So, what was that about "triple takers"?

Were those students who took CHE 201 three times to pass it?

Not at all, although I did have a few students from another instructor who took the course a second time, but with me, and found that I defeated the 'fear factor' of chemistry.

When I say "triple taker", I'm referring to students who took me for all three of the courses that I taught, primarily because they liked my teaching style and loved how helpful I was, showing them how to dissect word problems in a logical, and fun, way, based on the words, not just numbers.

Word problems are the most intimidating part of chemistry to most students.

As all aspects of chemistry, and chemistry lab, involve the solving of word problems, I know it's imperative that students learn that the same steps are used every time, not some new bit of machinations for each and every one.

So, which "triple takers" did I unearth in the Ocean Room closet?

Let me begin with Marilyn O'Mallon.

After her husband died of cancer, she turned to college to change her life.

She landed in my section of CHE 201 that Spring quarter of 1995.

In the feedback report, she wrote: "The strengths of this course was by far our excellent instructor. 'The Foundations Of Life" book is a good tool for course study, but without the simplified instruction from Prof. Smith, it would be hard to follow. The course was a challenge, but educational and fun. Thanks."

In the Fall of 1997, she was back, along with two others, choosing to pursue a BSN and now needing the CHE 121 and CHE 122 series for more in-depth studies and for the hands-on experience of the associated lab courses.

The threesome completed the CHE 122 in Spring quarter of 1998 and had the following words for me in their feedback.

Heather Carr: "I took Professor Smith for Che 201, 121, & 122. She is a really good teacher and explained the material wonderfully. The only problem with this course is that there were so many mistakes in the book."

Terri Vigrass: "Great teacher. Thank God for her ability to make this difficult subject fun and interesting. If I had had her for 102 Chem, I would have had a huge step up on this class and an understanding entering this class. Keep her, give her a raise and pat her on her back."

Marilyn O'Mallon: "Prof. Smith is an excellent instructor. She presents class material clearly & assures that her students understand the material before moving on to the next step. She is very patient and encourages her students to think & do well. Thank you."

Here's the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey used to say.

Marilyn and I became great friends over the following years.

Not only did she succeed in her nursing career, she also landed a position in the Nursing Department at Armstrong Atlantic State University.

Then, she continued learning, earning a masters degree and then a doctorate!

I am so proud of all she achieved, and so grateful for the friendship we have had...

all because of that first course she took with me.

Coincidences are just another word for right place, right time.

i thank You, God, to have had the opportunity to interact with so many.