Sample Application, Paris - Art History

Three CCC, DVC, or LMC courses you propose to teach in addition to the Life & Culture course:

DVC-ARTHS196 History of Medieval and Renaissance Art (3 units)

Description: A history of Western art from the Early Christian Period through the Renaissance. Stylistic changes are related to significant social and cultural changes. Consideration is given to the changing role of the artist, socially, culturally, and within patronage systems.  CSU, UC. CSUGE Area C1; IGETC Area 3A. Recommended eligibility for ENGL116/118 or equivalent.

Paris contains many treasures relevant to this course. First and foremost, the Musée du Louvre is one of the world’s best museums, as well as the most visited museum in the world. It contains substantial collections from the time periods covered by this course. The most famous work is the Mona Lisa, but we would go far beyond her! The collection of High Renaissance Italian artists is particularly good, and I would want to make use of the Raphael and Titian works in particular. Really, almost the entire class could be taught actually in the Louvre, moving from gallery to gallery.

We would need to leave the museum long enough to see the amazing churches of Paris in person. The Gothic style was invented and perfected in this region of France, from the first example of the new style in nearby St. Denis to the incredible fusion of architecture, sculpture, and color that is Notre-Dame de Paris, and culminating with the delicacy and jewel-box richness of Sainte-Chapelle, made in the Late Gothic Rayonnant style. Earlier periods of church architecture are represented in the Romanesque Église de Saint-Germain-des Prés in Paris. Many pilgrimage roads wind through France, and a field trip to some other well-known Romanesque churches such as Conques and Moissac would be well worth the trouble. Chartres, Amiens, Reims, and Rouen cathedrals are also nearby examples of Gothic architecture.

Other Paris resources for the course are the Petit Palais, which has a collection of medieval manuscripts and Northern European painting.  The National Museum of Medieval Art in the Baths of Cluny contains the tapestry cycle of The Lady and the Unicorn and a good collection of medieval sculpture, strong on carved altarpieces. The building itself is a rare example of secular Gothic architecture. The Musée des Arts et Métiers might be a nice addition to show the scientific and technological developments that took place in each age.

DVC-ARTHS197 History of Baroque to Early 20^th Century Art (3 units)

Description: A history of Western art from the 17th century to early 20th century. Stylistic changes are related to significant social and cultural changes. Consideration is given to the changing role of the artist. CSU, UC. CSUGE Area C1; IGETC Area 3A. Recommended eligibility for ENGL116/118 or equivalent.

This is the course that is best suited for being taught in Paris—so much of the history covered has happened in Paris. There is an immense wealth of art and resources that apply to the course material. The only problem will be fitting in enough lecture time with all of the field trips that are possible!

The Louvre will be an important source for the Baroque section of the class. There are excellent collections covering this time period, most notably the enormous 24 painting cycle of the life of Marie de Medici painted by Rubens, and works by important artists of the French Royal Academy, such as Nicholas Poussin. The Louvre’s collections are also very strong in 18^th and 19^th century art, and the large history paintings by Jacques-Louis David, Jean-Baptiste-Dominique Ingres, and Antoine-Jean Gros will also be invaluable. Romanticism is well represented, with major works by Theodore Gericault and Eugene Delacroix.

The architectural resources of the city of Paris will also be a major resource. The Palace of Versailles is located a short train ride from the city, and as the seat of French government for nearly a century and a living illustration of the politics of Royalist Absolutism, is a valuable experience for students. Private residences of the 18^th century are still common in Paris, and were the prime example of Rococo architecture and interior design, for example, the Hôtel de Soubise, which is now a museum housing the National Archives. Soufflot’s Panthéon in the Quartier Latin is an excellent example of Neoclassical design, amidst narrow streets and cafés in the student quarter. Garnier’s Opéra and the city of Paris itself are monuments to new ideas of urban design in the latter half of the 19^th century. Baron von Haussmann’s redesign of Paris to include broad boulevards is immediately apparent. I would take the students on a walking tour, and take them up to the top of the Arc du Triomphe to look at the cityscape, and of course, the Marseillaise sculpture by Francois Rude. We would also imitate the flâneurs of the 19^th century such as Baudelaire by walking through the city and observing the people, culture, and life of Paris, as did the Impressionists. A survey of great architecture in the city would not be complete without a mention of the Eiffel Tower.

The Louvre’s collection ends around 1848, but the rest of the 19^th and early 20^th centuries are amply represented in a plethora of other museums. The most important of these is the Musée D’Orsay, which has excellent collections of Realism by Courbet and Manet, and covers the rest of the 19^th century. The collection of Art Nouveau objects, furniture, and design is particularly stunning, and will be complimented by further walking tours to see Hector Guimard’s famous Metro designs and several Art Nouveau buildings near the Eiffel Tower. Monet’s paintings have been enshrined in the Orangerie and the Musée Marmottan Monet, and the Jeu de Paume also has collections that apply to this course. Other notable sites in Paris are the museums devoted to Rodin, Delacroix, the Romantic Life, Brancusi, Picasso, and Dalí. The major movements of the 20^th century can be seen at the Centre Pompidou and the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. We could also go to the cafés frequented by the Impressionists, Surrealists and Cubists, to see how artists were impacted by the city itself.

As I said above, the concern is far more that there is not enough time to do justice to the resources of Paris that pertain to this course!

DVC-ARTHS199 Contemporary Art History (3 units)

Description: A survey of contemporary art in the United States and Europe from 1945 to the present. Recent global tendencies in art will also be considered. Emphasis is placed on identifying and understanding important contemporary art movements and images, as well as social and political issues that shape the character of art produced during this time.  CSU, UC. CSUGE Area C1; IGETC Area 3A. Recommended eligibility for ENGL122 or equivalent.

The Centre Pompidou is the most important resource for this class. It has a world-class collection of contemporary art, and includes temporary exhibits as well. There are two floors devoted to permanent exhibits, and they are organized both chronologically and thematically, which would make teaching from the collections easy and facilitate discussions about the connections between the works. The building itself is a masterpiece of postmodern architecture by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers.

The Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris and the Palais de Tokyo are other great resources. Beyond these resources, Paris is also a city with a wealth of galleries, many of them near the Centre Pompidou along the Rue Vieille du Temple in the Marais. Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain also offers exhibits of cutting-edge contemporary art. The contemporary art course would depend much more on what is current in the temporary exhibitions in these resources, as all of these facilities are either substantially or entirely dedicated to rotating exhibits. Adapting the class to the current shows would be exciting, and students would truly feel that they have taken part in a once in a lifetime experience. Teaching this course in Paris would be similar to the Seminar in the Arts course I taught at FIDM (see supplementary information), which was predicated on current exhibits and events in San Francisco. Teaching this way is challenging and stimulating, and I always felt like I was able to cover all of the necessary material but from new angles.

Three alternate courses:

DVC-ARTHS195 History of Prehistoric to Ancient Art (3 units)

Description: A history of Western art from the Paleolithic through the end of the Roman period and the beginning of early Christian art. Archeological and anthropological problems are discussed in relation to the study of art styles. The social and cultural background of ancient civilizations and role of the artist will be considered. CSU, UC. CSUGE Area C1; IGETC Area 3A. Recommended eligibility for ENGL116/118 or equivalent.

Paris would be a very good place to teach the history of Ancient art. Not only does the city contain a major collection of ancient art in the Louvre, there are other resources that would supplement the vast stores of art and artifacts that the Louvre contains. Highlights of the collection include Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and classical art. From Egypt, a reconstructed funerary chapel from the New Kingdom, several tomb figures from the Old Kingdom, and a good collection of mummies and sarcophagi from all representative periods of Egyptian art, with a particularly strong collection in the Roman period of Egypt. Mesopotamian holdings include the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi, Assyrian reliefs and a reconstructed door with lamassu, or guardian figures. The classical collections are strong in the Archaic and Classical periods of Greek art, but truly excel in the Hellenistic period, including the Winged Nike of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo.

Paris contains the National Archaeology Museum, which has a very respectable collection of prehistoric artifacts, most notably extensive holdings of Magdalenian and Aurignacian cultures. In addition, most of the famous prehistoric locations are in the southwest of France, in the Vézere and Lot valleys. The National Museum of Prehistory, located in Les Eyzies des Tayac in the Dordogne has an incredible collection. Many of the caves in the southwest are closed to visitors due to the delicate nature of the art inside them, but there is a replica of Lascaux cave that would be easily accessible on a weekend field trip, if possible.

The archaeological crypt beneath Notre Dame is a truly excellent resource. It really gives the feeling of what a Roman settlement would have looked like, and the didactic information is also well produced and informative. The Baths of Cluny in Paris are also a valuable archaeological resource. Further afield, Provence is a hotbed of Roman ruins, and easy to access by TGV. The Pont du Gard, Maison Carrée, ruins at Glanum near St-Remy, and arena in Arles are the standout sites.

DVC-ART105 Introduction to Drawing, Color, and 2-Dimensional Design (3 units)

Description: Presentation of drawing concepts and techniques, perspective, as well as color theory fundamentals, with emphasis on design principles and composition. CSU, UC. Recommended eligibility for ENGL116/118 or equivalent.

Part of this class deals with the history of drawing techniques, and for that purpose, the Louvre would be an invaluable resource. I could send students on scavenger hunt trips to find examples of different styles and techniques, and then create individualized assignments around the exploration of those techniques.

The city of Paris, with all of the boulevards and places would be a marvelous subject for perspective studies (and students would be following in the footsteps of the Impressionists!) The city also offers incredible public gardens, from the Jardin Luxembourg to the Bois de Boulogne and the Jardin des Plantes that would be perfect for students to do studies of value, contrast, and volume. Still life subjects abound in the many markets: Marché aux Puce St. Ouen for the brocantes, or antiques, and the Marché aux Oiseaux et Fleurs on the Ile de la Cité showcases birds and flowers on Sundays—both are excellent for developing skills in composition and design. Walking tours of the city would provide students with ample sketching material, and it might be fun to take them to one of the major cemeteries such as Père-Lachaise to find more unusual subjects. The cemeteries would be particularly good for value studies, as most of the sculpture in them is not painted.

Color studies would bring the class back to the Louvre, but a potential side trip might be to Giverny, where Monet spent many years immersing himself in color. If Giverny is not possible, we could go to the Orangerie to see his paintings instead, where students could learn from the close-up riot of colors in the reflections of the Water Lilies. Complementary, analogous, and warm and cool compositions will all be illustrated.

Finally, Paris is very rich in small museums made from artists’ studios and homes: Eugene Delacroix, Antoine Bourdelle, and Gustave Moreau have all had their studios and homes preserved as museums. Visiting these locations would give aspiring artists a better understanding of how artists live and work.

DVC-ARTHS193 History of Asian Art (3 units)

An introduction to major art forms and traditions in Asia from prehistory to the present. Artists, patrons, cultures, religions, and their intersections will be covered. Comparisons will be drawn between the course material and other artistic traditions, especially Western societies. CSU, UC. CSUGE Area C1; IGETC Area 3A. Recommended eligibility for ENGL116/118 or equivalent.

Paris is also a world-class city for Asian art. The Musée Guimet, Musée Cernuschi, Institut du Monde Arabe, and Musée du Quai Branly are all devoted to non-western art.

The Musée Guimet is the primary resource. It contains major collections of all of the cultures covered in the course, and includes a Buddhist temple in its grounds. Second on the list of resources is the Cernuschi, which also contains a strong collection in Chinese and Japanese art.

The Branly’s architectural design is almost as spectacular as the objects it holds, including a living wall of plants and lush gardens. The museum also contains ethnographic objects. It is the repository of the Louvre’s collections of non-western art.

What have you done that demonstrates your ability to organize or initiate programs or activities?

I taught a course called Seminar in the Arts for several semesters at FIDM (the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising). This course was based around field trips to different cultural activities including plays, concerts, museums, and galleries. This provided experience in organizing and coordinating outings and group visits, and in researching the current events of a city. It also gave me experience in adapting a set curriculum to a constantly changing range of activities. I currently organize multiple field trips every semester.

I am very experienced in curriculum creation and review. I have served on the DVC Curriculum Committee for two years, and I have developed experimental and topics courses including History of Photography and Visual Culture in Painting and Professional Practices. I currently review courses for the C-ID statewide articulation board.

As the current Art Department Chair, I am experienced in organizing and assisting events, fundraisers, and exhibitions, as well as reviewing, writing, and editing courses, program review, and Student Learning Outcome assessments.

I am interested in interdisciplinary teaching and learning, and am a Teacher-Consultant at the Bay Area Writing Project. I have participated in several local conferences and workshops on writing across the curriculum. This has made my approach to assignment and course design flexible, and focused on critical thinking skills.

Recruitment:

Research polls conducted by the University of Illinois suggest that most students who participate in a study abroad program receive information about the program (in order of most to least often) through a website, through information from other students who have participated in the past, from Study Abroad Fairs and/or informational meetings, and through Faculty members.

I would try to tailor my recruiting to this research to make it as effective as possible. First, I would produce a brief YouTube video about the program to embed in the Study Abroad website and which teachers could show in class, or embed in their course learning systems for students to access.  I know of several of my current and former students who plan to participate in Study Abroad in Florence in SP13, and I would ask them to participate in some recruiting efforts upon their return to provide students with a personal perspective.

I would use social media and networking techniques to maintain and capture student interest, including Facebook, Twitter, and blogging and would create a mailing list of all interested students with periodic contact to provide exciting information about their destination and keep interest level high.

I would be happy to work at a Study Abroad table in the common area of the colleges, to provide information and brochures. I will visit classes and conduct informational meetings.  To summarize, I am very committed to putting time and energy into recruiting to ensure that the program is successful.

Informal advising/Support:

I am already exploring alternative methods of student contact, including Google Voice, which allows students to text me for support and information. I would like to continue this practice, and perhaps add additional methods of communication such as Skype.

I have an excellent rapport with students, many of whom feel comfortable in asking me for assistance. I have conferred with students on college applications and internship opportunities, and my student evaluations always focus on my openness, helpfulness, and engagement with students. Comments have included: “She’s very open to assist students; she’s very patient, and good at answering questions” and “I love Ms Koblik’s enthusiasm and spirit for what she teaches. She has never talked down to a student and is always welcoming interpretations and constant comments or questions.”

I have also spent several years coaching water polo at both the high school and collegiate levels, including travelling with the teams. This provides relevant experience in advising and supporting students outside a school context, and taught me that this is a role I enjoy and feel effective in.

Travel:

I participated in a Study Abroad program while I was in high school. I lived in Germany for a month, and hosted a German student for a month. My host family were Turkish immigrants to Germany, and were Muslim, so the experience was multicultural on several levels. I had a great relationship with my exchange partner, and we still keep in occasional contact.

I have also travelled internationally with my collegiate, Junior National, and most recently club water polo teams. I have visited Cuba, Italy, Greece, Germany, and the Netherlands on training and competitive trips, so have extensive experience in travelling with a group of people with diverse interests, and in negotiating and mediating various goals and needs.

I have lived in both Hawaii and New York—very diverse environments! I enjoyed both experiences, and I know that I am a quickly adaptive traveler who enjoys new experiences and settles in to new places and customs quickly and easily.

Lastly, I have travelled on my own and with friends and family on several European trips, including to Paris, London, and Florence. My husband also travels extensively and is supportive of my travel. I planned, researched, and organized large parts of these trips in consultation with my travelling partners.

Foreign Languages:

Spoken and written German at a conversational level—has gotten rather rusty! 4 years of German instruction at the high school level.

Spoken and written Italian also at a rusty conversational level—4 quarters of Italian at the college level.

Basic French phrases and conversation—I have been wanting to take French for the past few years, and would certainly make this a priority if selected for the Paris study Abroad program.

Personal Statement:

I am an energetic, enthusiastic person who loves to teach and learn. I am very excited about providing students with the priceless opportunity to experience another culture through study abroad, and feel that Art History is a particularly good fit for a study abroad program. One amazing thing about teaching art history at the community college is the students who return after travelling abroad and write to me or drop by my office to tell me what a difference my class made to their travel; how they found their experience was enriched by knowing something about the art and cultures they studied in my classes. Hearing from former students is one of my favorite parts of the job! I would love to have the opportunity to guide students while they experience another culture, and see amazing artifacts, architecture, and artworks in person.

Special qualifications:

Art History is a particularly good fit for the study abroad curriculum. Students have a natural interest in the art and culture of a location. I have visited Paris and have extensive knowledge of the art, architecture, and culture that will be covered in my courses, and I have the energy and enthusiasm that a study abroad teacher needs. I have diverse travel experiences, and am an empathetic, pragmatic person, which I believe would also be an asset to the program.

Personal/financial arrangements:

Yes, I would be able to make the necessary arrangements. My husband is supportive of my desire to teach study abroad, and his job as a photographer is flexible to the degree that he would consider coming along with me. Whether I travel alone or with him, financial arrangements will not be an issue.

Sample London Application

1.     Proposed Courses:

Humanities 024- Shakespeare’s English Kings: History, Literature and Drama

English 253 – Survey of Late English Literature

English 230- Thinking and Writing Critically About Literature

2.  Alternate Courses:

English 154  - Shakespeare and His World

English 252 – Early English Literature

English 180 – Literature of the Drama

3.     One of the programs that I helped to create at LMC is the American Experience Learning Community, which pairs English 100 and Political Science 10.  My husband, Dave Hobbs, an adjunct political science professor, and I first piloted this program in 2003 to help students to see the connections between these two disciplines and to create a community which supports student success. I have enjoyed linking our course content as students think and write about important issues in our democracy.  For the past two years I have focused on “California issues and politics” as a theme for the English 100 class, and in one unit students studied and wrote about the intersection of food and politics. Students learn about the Slow Food movement, the edible school yard project and local farmer’s markets that connect farmers and consumers.  They also read Epitaph for a Peach, by David Mas Masumoto, and learn about farming from a third generation Japanese farmer.  

In addition to classroom activities, we have organized out of classroom experiences that connect our course content to our local community.  We have invited local representatives such as Mark DeSaulnier and journalists from local publications to present to students and the larger college community. Last year we invited Robert Allen who spoke about the Port Chicago Explosion, a significant event in East County’s history.  For the past 6 years we have organized a Slow Food film festival at LMC (in partnership with Slow Food Delta Diablo), offered one evening in October, which showcases independent films that explore the connections between food and politics.  We have also taken students on field trips to the Oakland Museum, and the Museum of Anthropology at UC Berkeley.

All of this work has prepared me well for the Study Abroad program, which involves developing courses and linking content, as well as organizing outside learning experiences to enhance classroom instruction. I have enjoyed the curriculum development work in the learning community, and am excited to create lessons for students to help enrich their learning experience in London.

5.     I am qualified to teach:  English (Composition and Literature), English as a Second Language, and Humanities courses at LMC under Interdisciplinary Studies.

Recruitment

1.     I have a great deal of experience with recruitment because of my involvement in the learning community.  In 2003, when we first began to offer the American Experience learning community, we actively recruited students to enroll in this new program. I visited classes at LMC and talked with instructors, attended high school orientations, and college nights to inform students about this unique experience. We continued to recruit each year, making announcements in the school newspaper, putting up posters, writing descriptions in brochures and for websites and making class presentations.  Because of our success, we were invited to participate in the Transfer Academy at LMC and have been a part of this first year experience initiative since Fall 2011.  

As part of my recruitment for the Study Abroad Program at LMC, I would first target students in the Transfer Academy and then expand to other special programs as well.  LMC has a very active Honors program and I have already made contact with the Jen Saito, the Program Director, to set up a study abroad workshop in the spring to get LMC students planning for study abroad experiences in the future. Other special programs include Puente, Umoja, MESA and ACE. In these programs, many students are in their first year of college, a perfect time for them to start thinking about and planning for a study abroad experience.  I will create a multi-media presentation to use for recruitment in  classes,  meetings and orientations.   I will also elicit the support of my English department colleagues and ask to make presentations in their courses.  I have taught previously at the Brentwood Center, and will schedule class visits and informational meetings there as well.

I will recruit heavily at DVC, SRC and CCC.   I will work closely with the Study Abroad office and spend two to five hours per week making presentations and recruiting students.  I can adjust my teaching schedule to accommodate these important visits and presentations. I will distribute information generated by the District Study Abroad office and will attend all meetings for recruiting and orientation.  

2.     One of the reasons I enjoy teaching and working in a learning community is that I get to know my students on a personal level.   I have counseled and advised students in the learning community since 2003.   I would welcome having a cohort of Study Abroad students to help through this process, by providing educational information, personal advising, reminders and other support services.  I look forward to establishing and building those relationships with students and other faculty before we spend the semester together in London.

Other Details

1.      I have not participated in a Study Abroad program in the past.

2.     Most of my travel experiences have been with others in groups of various sizes.  I was a Peace Corps volunteer in the 1980s, and spent 2 ½ years in Kenya, teaching English at a boys’ boarding school in Kwale, near Mombasa.  In addition to traveling extensively throughout Kenya on my holidays, I traveled through Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.  On the way home I spent three months traveling through, India, Nepal, Thailand, Hong Kong and China.   In the past decade, my travel experiences have been closer to home, and in most cases involved learning about the people and/or historical sites of the places we visited.   As a family we have traveled to British Columbia, and through the Southwest, including rafting through the Grand Canyon and visiting Pueblo sites.  We have also taken trips to Princeton, Philadelphia, New York, and most recently to Washington D.C. 

3.     Speaking English will not be an issue, except for different phrases and expressions used in England.  Nonetheless I studied Spanish for 6 years, through 4 years of high school and in my first two years of college; I could read, write, and speak conversationally.  In Kenya I learned conversational Swahili and achieved a 3+ on the Foreign Service Exam. 

4.     I have seen how travel has enriched my life and each semester I talk with my students about my Peace Corps experience and encourage them to take advantage of travel opportunities.  This program appeals to me because it provides a unique teaching and learning opportunity.  When I was in the Peace Corps, I lived among the people in my village, and got to experience, not just the beautiful sites of Kenya, but the Kenyan people and culture on a daily basis. I value the experience of being a resident rather than a tourist, and I will encourage students to immerse themselves in the London culture and see how much they can learn by stepping outside of our American cultural bubble.

As an English major I can think of no better place to go on a literary adventure.  Visiting Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, combing the British Library, which honors the rich tradition of England’s literature, and catching a play at London’s West End would be wonderful experiences to share with students.   I have been attracted to the Study Abroad Program for several years, and now that my youngest son is in graduate school, it is the perfect time for me to participate in this program.

5.     I bring to the program, 33 years of teaching experience.  I still love teaching and learning.  I am dependable and organized, and will meet deadlines and follow through with commitments. I am positive, and flexible which helps when working with others in a different environment.   I like to collaborate with others and I look forward to working with other faculty, staff and students in the program.

6.     I have the full support of my family and will make the necessary personal and financial arrangements if selected.

7.     I joined the Study Abroad Committee two years ago because I want to support this important program.  I welcome the opportunity to participate as a Study Abroad faculty member and bring my experiences back to the LMC community and our district.

Course Descriptions:

Humanities 024 – English Kings: History, Literature and Drama

The course description reads:  “Shakespeare created an exciting series of plays about the English kings who sought to gain the crown of France while holding on to their own crowns (and heads) at home.  These are powerful, tragic, heroic and often funny plays that chronicle England’s evolution from a medieval kingdom to a modern nation. “

Focusing on Shakespeare’s plays about English kings provides an exciting window into England’s history, politics and power struggles. Students will learn the history behind each play, as well as how the story was interpreted by Shakespeare to make more dramatic characters and plot.  In addition to reading the plays and attending productions, students will informally act out scenes as a means to understanding the plays and characters in more detail. 

While studying Shakespeare’s life we will visit key Shakespeare sights such as  Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon.  There is a self-guided tour on “Shakespeare: Life, Love and Legacy” and students can see an original 1623 First Folio of Shakespeare’s work.  We will view Shakespeare’s final resting place and see a play performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company – an unforgettable experience!

While students get a brief introduction to English history and study the kings in depth we can visit Windsor Castle, which has housed the Royal Family for 900 years, and Westminster Abbey, where kings and queens have been crowned and buried since 1066.  I would also arrange field trips to The National Portrait Gallery to see Shakespeare’s portrait and other paintings chronicling 500 years of English history as well as the British Library.  In London we can also see plays at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

To learn more about the British crown we can take a Tower of London tour, which includes the Medieval Palace and the Crown Jewels. 

Students will be able to immerse themselves in Shakespeare, English history and drama, which will make this course come alive. 

English 253 – Survey of Late English Literature

This course focuses on British Literature from the 19^th and 20^th centuries.  Students will read poems, fiction, drama and non-fiction from the Romantic, Victorian, modern and post-colonial periods.  They will be able to see how the literature was a reflection of British society in each of these periods.

Students will learn about the rich tradition of British literature by reading and discussing classic works. We will also focus on the authors themselves; students will be responsible for making a multi-media presentation on one of the British authors or poets, utilizing the resources available in London. 

When studying the Romantic period, students will read poetry from William Blake, William Wordsworth, John Keats, Lord Byron, and novels from Jane Austen.  Many of these writers are celebrated around London.  For example, on the second floor of the National Portrait Gallery, students will visit the exhibit on the Romantics and see paintings of Keats, Coleridge, Wollstonecraft, Wordsworth, Shelley and Byron.  In mid-September we would be sure to visit the Jane Austen Festival in Bath, just a train ride away from London.

During the Victorian age, England was the wealthiest nation on earth with a global colonial empire.  Students will learn about the way colonialism shaped the world then and continues to affect the world today.  Students will learn about Queen Victoria, who inherited this world empire at age 18.   The Victorian era was the great age of the English novel and the course will focus on the novels of Charles Dickens and also key women writers, such as the Bronte sisters, and George Elliot, (Mary Ann Evans).   Key poets include Alfred Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Christina Rossetti.  There is a wonderful exhibit on the first floor of the National Portrait Gallery which chronicles the story of the Victorian Age through paintings of Queen Victoria, and influential writers such as the Bronte sisters , Charles Dickens and Alfred Lord Tennyson, as well as Charles Darwin, who also had a major impact on this time period.  We can also compare the themes of poverty and exclusion that Dickens explored in his novels to economic situations in London today.

There are many locales where students can get a sense of life in the Victorian Age. 

We will take a walking tour that includes the Dickens House, the home of Charles Dickens from 1837 to 1839. Now a museum, the house contains his study, manuscripts, original furniture and other items. They will visit Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Tavern on Fleet Street in London to sit in Dickens’ favorite seat and  possibly enjoy a steak-and-kidney pie. Also, they can find the “Oliver Twist” steps, which offer one of the best views of the London Bridge. 

English 230- Thinking and Writing Critically About Literature

During the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, England celebrated its great contributions to children’s literature.  From Beatriz Potter to Harry Potter, England’s rich tradition of children’s literature has captivated children and adults for over 150 years.  In this course, students read and discuss literature from a variety of cultural perspectives, with the focus on children's literature.  Students study literary genres such as short fiction, poetry, drama and the novel, write critical essays and engage in literary research.

In addition to reading and writing, students will research and visit key settings in many of these classic works. For example:

Students will read the classic tales of the Paddington Bear and visit the sculpture of  the little bear, sitting on a suitcase in Paddington Station in London.  

After reading about the adventures of Peter Pan, and viewing the film, Finding Neverland, students will visit the Peter Pan statue on Kensington Gardens.  This is a tribute to the author J.M. Barrie and the days he spent with the Davies boys and their dog, Nana who were the inspiration for Barrie’s  characters.  Kensington Park and Hyde Park were both locations used in the semi-autobiographical film.

The Wind and the Willows is a classic work by Kenneth Grahame.  Students will take a river cruise down the Thames, and at the end of the trip visit an Elizabethan Manor said to be the  model for Toad Hall.   

Students can research Roald Dahl, author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by visiting the Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery in Buckinghamshire. 

At Nearby Oxford, in addition to the university, students can visit wonderful sights. At Christ Church College, where Lewis Carroll attended, students will walk thorough Christ Church Meadow which was a setting used in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.   In the Church itself, they can see where scenes from Harry Potter movies were filmed.  J.R.R Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, who were friends, both attended Oxford and belonged to a famous writing society, which met at a pub called The Eagle and the Child –an establishment still open today. 

Harry Potter’s story was set in a fictional Britain, but students can visit many real film locations such as King Cross Station, where Harry catches the train to Hogwarts or The London Zoo’s reptile house where he talks to a boa constrictor.  There are also Harry Potter tours for students who want to visit many real film locations.

Sample Application, Florence

Courses

No prerequisites are required for the six psychology classes below

1.             Identify the three courses you propose to teach in addition to the Life & Culture course.

Psychology 101:  Introduction to Psychology  (CSU area D9, IGETC, AA, AA.PSYT.D)*

Psychology 160:  Psychology of Women         (CSU areas D9 & E, IGETC, AA, AA.PSYT.D)

Psychology 220:  Psychology of Personality    (CSU area D9, IGETC, AA, AA.PSYT.D)

See question #4 below for rationale and course curriculum

2.             Identify three alternate courses that you are qualified to teach and how the foreign locale will be incorporated in my instruction.

Psychology 200:  Life Span Development       (CSU areas D9 & E, IGETC, AA, AA.PSYT.D)

Psychology 225:  Social Psychology               (CSU area D9, IGETC, AA, AA.PSYT.D)

Psychology 122:  Psychology of Modern Life   (CSU areas D9 & E, IGETC, AA, AA.PSYT.D)

*(The list of courses required to earn this popular Associates of Arts in Psychology for Transfer Degree was sent via inter district mail along with a hard copy of the signature page.  Note: 78 psychology degrees were granted in 2011-2012)    

      Psychology 200:  Life Span Development

This course examines the developmental changes and sociocultural events that take place during an individual’s life span from infancy to old age.  The effects of early childhood education on later development could be explored from the perspective of Dr. Maria Montessori, born in Anacona and educated in Rome. Montessori believed that all children are born with potentials and the caregiver is there to create the environment to stimulate the child’s growth and development.  

·       Montessori theory on child rearing and the effects on adult development could be contrasted to an American theorist such as Mary Ainsworth, who studied how children’s attachment patterns with caregivers’ impact adult attachment patterns with romantic partners.  A possible field trip to a Montessori preschool to observe children at play.  Interview the preschool director regarding how Italian children are raised (i.e. discipline) and the role of children in the family.

·       Field trip to a museum to analyze the representation of children in Italian art and culture.

Fulfills Course Objective/SLOs:

A. Describe physical, social, and cognitive changes from the prenatal period throughout the lifespan.

B. Examine the nature of change over the lifespan.

C. Identify the complex cognitive structures found in the early development of infants and young children.

Psychology 225:  Social Psychology

Social Psychology studies the way people think, feel and behave in social situations.  This course lends itself to the application of social psychological theories to everyday life experiences. 

·       Social experiments could be set up in everyday settings in Florence to record local’s reactions to a given situation.  For example students could test the bystander effect in a public area where a student drops their books and another student records the response of people in the immediate vicinity to come to their aid, noting the ethnicity, age, gender, and number of people present in the assisting and bystander groups.

·       Observe interactions among Italians and interview them to better understand cultural differences in linguistics, prejudice, conformity, obedience, and group process.

·       A benefit to traveling with a “program,” as opposed to traveling independently, is the shared experience.  It becomes its own social psychology experiment. The group experience provides the participants with an opportunity to process their collective journey in an altogether different way.  Weekly class discussions about student’s reactions to being in small and large groups for the majority of the program would allow them to reflect on how this has influenced the way they think, feel and behave.  

Fulfills Course Objective/SLOs:

G. Evaluate the applicability of social-psychological research to everyday life experiences.

H. Identify how factors such as race, gender, social class, sexual orientation and culture interact with social psychological phenomena.  

Psychology 122:  Psychology of Modern Life

This course applies many of the topics addressed in Introduction to Psychology to one’s own life.  Students reflect on their own experience in relation to topics such as perception, states of consciousness, motivation, emotion, stress and health, to name a few.

·       Assign a personal application exercise regarding the multidimensional effects of stress on an individual. Students would be asked to recall a recent event that required them to adjust to some change necessitated by the foreign environment they are now living in.  Was this a major stressor or a minor hassle?  What was their stress response physiologically, emotionally, cognitively and behaviorally?  

·       Students will keep a journal noting daily stressors throughout the semester.  They will compare what was stressful for them in the beginning versus the end of their stay.  Noting coping strategies used and areas of growth.  Journal content also provides daily reflections that can be used in a classroom discussion to process events and tie them back to theory.

Fulfills Course Objective/SLOs:

C. Describe the nature and operation of personality and interpersonal relationships in everyday life and apply principles to new situations.

D. Critically analyze the relationship of social processes in everyday life to the basic concepts of psychology, such as motivation, emotion, perception, learning, cognitive processes and physiological processes.

3.             Organizing, coordinating and developing course, programs and other learning experiences will be required.   What have you done that demonstrates your ability to organize or initiate programs or activities?

Curriculum

• I assisted with the development of the first Psychology Degree, analyzing the top 5 transfer institutions lower division Psychology requirements.  I ushered this new degree through the curriculum committee.
• I developed, and was the first to teach, Psychology 200 – Lifespan Development.  This was in response to a demand by Pre-Nursing students, as it is a prerequisite to get into most nursing programs.  I have since created an online version of this course to meet the needs of the many students that are out of the area.

• I revised the course Psychology 115 - Resiliency & Student Success and the course outline and moved these changes through the Curriculum Committee.  I also created a new edition of the workbook used as the primary text for this course in both the Psychology and Counseling departments.  (See campus Resiliency Symposium below)*
• I created a speaker’s bureau for my Psychology 160 – Women’s Psychology class, including representatives from STAND, Planned Parenthood, Komen Foundation (breast cancer), Community Violence Solutions, Casa Serena Eating Disorder Center and local authors of books on the course reading list.
• Took a class of psychology students on a field trip to tour Napa State Mental Hospital and to observe patients inside the facility.
• I evaluate and submit course rewrites for PSYCH courses.
• I reviewed multiple textbooks for several different publishers for Women’s Psychology and Personality Theory courses.
• I developed the curriculum for a Career Development course CARER130 - Careers in Social Services while I was part time faculty.  Students enrolled in this course while working in the Re-Entry Center on campus.
• The first community college course I ever taught was at Ohlone College in Fremont while I was working full time as a buyer for Macy’s San Francisco.  I was approached by the business dean to create a class, the curriculum, and course reader for Careers in Fashion Merchandising. 

Department

• I currently chair the Psychology department (titular head), responsible for the evaluations of PT, FT, and Tenure Track faculty, SLO’s, Program Review, Title V re-writes, Course Substitution Petitions, and department budget oversight.  As the titular head, I hear student complaints and work with faculty to mediate issues.  I am the department liaison to the Division Dean.
• I recruit and hire part time faculty. I communicate with district HR to post job openings.  I organize the hiring committee, screen applications, set up interviews, interview candidates and do reference checks.
• I chaired and was a member of the paper screening committee for a FT faculty hire for fall 2012.  As the chair, I insured that proper procedure was followed in the screening process and that all deadlines were met in order to forward the top candidates on to the interview committee.
• I organize the department’s annual All Faculty (PT & FT) Department Gathering.

Division

• Serve on the Social Science Division Council
• Represented the Social Science Division for the Student Services Committee
• Attend all Dean/Department Chair meetings

Campus

• Organized an all campus Resiliency Symposium*, recruiting Andrew Shatte, author of The Resilience Factor originally from University of Pennsylvania, to present his current findings on cognitive resilience, student success and retention.
• Developed curriculum for a Learn Community linking Psychology 115 Resiliency & Student Success with English 116 College Reading Development.  I collaborated with Patrick Leong to create this learning community, coupled with a cohort, to encourage basic skills, student success and retention.

• Facilitator for College Success Workshops and the Brown Bag Lecture Series
• Presenter for flex workshops, Nexus training and Social Science Division retreat
• Evaluator for numerous administrative deans
• Faculty representative on several Student Disciplinary Reviews
• I worked as hourly staff in an advising capacity for the Re-Entry Center and the One-Stop Student Services Center while teaching as a part time Psychology instructor.  (see more details on my role in this student support position in #2 under Recruitment)

District

Organized a district wide Resiliency Program and facilitated trainings for both classified staff and faculty on Resiliency Life Skills at DVC, LMC and CCC.  I presented the materials I learned from Andrew Shatte during an extensive training at DVC when I was first hired as a part time instructor.

4.             Write a description of each course and describe how you will incorporate the foreign locale in your instruction.  Provide examples of field trips and other supplemental educational activities you would provide for students during the semester abroad.  Demonstrate their understanding of the potential for cultural enrichment of the curriculum.

Overview of Proposed Courses:

The wonderful thing about the study of Psychology is that teaching and learning moments surround us on a daily basis. In the following courses, students will be challenged to be introspective while also playing the role of observer in this foreign environment.  I believe it is important to shift our focus from a cross cultural experience to an intercultural education which is a wider, more complex view of the world when understanding differences among people, cultures, and countries.

Psychology 101:  Introduction to Psychology  (CSU area D9, IGETC, AA, AA.PSYT.D)

Psychology 160:  Psychology of Women        (CSU areas D9 & E, IGETC, AA, AA.PSYT.D)

Psychology 220:  Psychology of Personality    (CSU area D9, IGETC, AA, AA.PSYT.D)

Psychology 101:  Introduction to Psychology

This course is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.  As a survey course, it covers such areas as: the history and theories of psychology, the biological foundations of behavior, perception, learning, motivation, mate selection, abnormal psychology and therapies.

Introduction to Psychology is the most popular class in the department for psychology majors and non-majors. This course is the broadest in content and will appeal to the largest number of students in the study abroad program.  Many of the assignments and activities outlined in the other proposed courses can cross over and apply to this multi-topic course.

Assignments, field work:

1.    Topic: Sociocultural Behavior  and Mate Selection

Students will perform a field study of gender differences in non-verbal communication patterns.  They will observe two mixed gendered groups from afar and record non-verbal gestures by gender.  They will conduct this research while observing members within the study abroad program from the US, and then replicate it while observing several Italian groups. They will write a paper on the similarities and differences that they observed while reflecting on the sociocultural explanation for sex differences outlined in the textbook.

Fulfills Course Objective/SLOs:

C. Apply psychological concepts and principles to everyday life.

H. Describe theories concerning human behavior in a social context.

2.    Topic: Visual Perception

Attention is the first step in perception.  Through selective attention, we limit our attention to certain stimuli while filtering out others.  In this visual awareness assignment, I will have students look for the Medici family crest on buildings in and around Florence.  They will take pictures of the crest that will include the street name and address.  And then identify what the building houses and hypothesize why it is adorned with the Medici sign.

Fulfills Course Objective/SLOs:

E. Discuss the biological bases of behavior.

F. Summarize the processes involved in perception, learning and cognition.

3. Write a research paper on a famous Italian Psychologist and their contribution to the field.  I will begin with a lecture on two historical Italian psychologists famous for their study of optical illusions.  The Kanizsa Triangle is named after Gaetano Kanizsa which is an illusion that involves the visual closure of space without complete boundaries.  Mario Ponzo discovered that depth and distance cues are read by the size of an object and its placement within a picture.  Take a field trip to a museum to identify the differences in depth perception (2 dimensions vs. 3 dimensions) in art based on the historical era.

Psychology 160:  Psychology of Women

Women’s lives are examined from the early stages of prenatal development to the last years of life.  Factors that influence the development of gender identity are explored from social, cultural and psychological perspectives.

This course will take a comparative view by providing a short history of Italian feminism.  In arguably the most Catholic country in the world, Italy remains a country structurally grounded in male patriarchal power.  We will explore issues of divorce, labor, and family law in Italy and compare them to the US.  (Women’s right to suffrage in Italy didn’t become a law until 1945 and after 100 years of effort, divorce became legal in 1970) Contemporary issues abound in regards to reproductive and gay rights in relation to the Italian Catholic Church.

Assignments, field trips, speakers:

1.    Conduct research on key historical moments and people in the feminist movement for the past 100 years in Italy.  Contrast that to the three waves of feminism in the US.

2.    Visit the Uffizi Gallery as a class to analyze women’s body images portrayed in art from the Renaissance period.  Identify women’s roles as demonstrated in paintings from three different periods, noting clothing and adornment.  Present findings to the class in the form of group presentations.

Fulfills Course Objective/SLOs:

B. identify social, cultural, and physiological factors in gender identity formation and gender-related behavior.

3.    Visit the Medici Chapels and find the reclining statues sculpted by Michelangelo named Night and Day in the tomb of Lorenzo II.  Write an analysis of Michelangelo’s depiction of the male versus the female body based on these two sculptures.

4.    Research female artists whose work is featured in the Uffizi Gallery and the Pitti Palace.  Visit these locations and note the subject, date and title of their work. Reflect on reasons why so few historical female artists’ works are on display.  Read the story of Artemisia Gentileschi, the first female painter elected to the Accademia dell’ Arte, which tells of her struggle to reconcile painting and motherhood in a patriarchal post-Renaissance Italy.  This book will facilitate a lively discussion on gender roles then and now.

Fulfills Course Objective/SLOs:

A. compare and contrast theories of gender development.

5.    Invite guest speaker Jamie Marie Lezzara, an American ex-patriot violin maker, to speak about her experience living and working as a woman in Florence.

Psychology 220:  Psychology of Personality                   

This course probes into the dynamics of personality development, psychological adjustment and personal growth.  Emphasis is placed on contrasting theories and methodologies of the different schools of psychology, such as psychoanalysis, cognitive behaviorism, personality trait theory to name a few.

The development of personality and what constitutes psychological health in an individual is approached from contrasting theoretical views.  Many of the theorists discussed are the historical European forefathers of psychology.

Assignments:

1.    Psychoanalysis - Students will analyze Erik Erikson’s original Psychosocial Stages of Development and update the stages to meet contemporary social struggles that impact young adults in the “emerging adulthood” stage in the US and Italy.  For example, the term “twixster” is used in the US to describe the young adult that isn’t financially able to leave home when Erikson deemed appropriate several generations ago.  In Italy this failure to launch group is affectionately called “Mammones,” and isn’t judged as harshly as in the US.  (Ninety-four percent of Italians ages 15-24 live with their parents, the highest percent in the European Union, few view this arrangement as a problem, some will stay home into their early 30’s). What are the different cultural norms at play here?  Is one group in fact more psychologically healthy than another due to the country's social clock?

B. analyze and integrate the genetic and socio-cultural variables which shape and mold a personality.

E. identify different theorists' views of personality development and growth.

2.    Personality Trait Theory - Several personality tests will be given to the students to take to determine their own personality type.  Once they understand the collection of traits that make up a type, they will “type” famous Italian figures based on their behaviors.  Vasari’s Lives of the Artists would be an excellent historical reference for students to read to gain insight into the personality of the following Italian artists: Giotto, Botticelli, Raphael, Leonardo, Titian.

Fulfills Course Objective/SLOs:

C. apply principles of various models of personality to behavior change and maintenance of psychological health.

3.    Cognitive Behaviorism - I will use this topic to introduce Resiliency skills which are based on building an awareness of a one’s cognitive (thought) processes and the emotional and behavioral effects of those thoughts.  Students will keep a daily journal recording their thoughts, emotions and behaviors based on one event from the day.  Their final day’s entry will be something they are grateful for. I will provide students with a Resiliency Workbook that has worksheets to assist them with this process. This self reflection journal could double as a travel log and gratitude journal for their study abroad experience.

Fulfills Course Objective/SLOs:

A. demonstrate an understanding of factors contributing to personality development.

In general, I see these three psychology courses providing a broad, but coherent view on gender roles, personality development and the sociocultural similarities versus differences between people in the US and Italy.  However, I remain open to teaching other courses within the psychology discipline.

5.             Please list all subject areas (FSA) which you are qualified to teach.

           Psychology

 

Recruitment

Faculty selected for Study Abroad Programs must attend all information sessions, plan and implement recruitment activities, participate in other recruitment efforts, including program promotion, student recruitment and student orientation.

1.            What experiences do you have with regards to these activities, and what specific activities would you propose and execute for successful student recruitment?

As a long time member of the Student Services Committee, I have volunteered to work during College Orientation in the fall.  I have manned tables and met with eager incoming students and their parents to answer questions and alleviate concerns.

Additionally, I was instrumental in the development of the Resiliency Project which led to the development of a 1 unit Psychology class, centering on the recognition and modification of faulty cognitive (thinking) patterns in one’s own mind.  Each semester I began promoting the next semester’s section with my current Psychology students.  It didn’t fulfill any UC or CSU requirements so it was a tough sell.  I created flyers that outlined the advantages of taking this short term course and distributed them to my colleagues in the department, division and campus wide to share with students.  I facilitated College Success Workshops and Brown Bag Lectures on the topic of Resiliency a couple of weeks prior to the start of the short term class to promote enrollment.  Once enrolled, students would receive a welcome email reminding them of the date of the first class meeting and required course materials.  Not one section was ever cancelled due to low enrollment.  (Unfortunately due to budget cuts, this low capped course (20 student maximum) is not currently being offered). My skills recruiting for the Resiliency course would be some of the same skills that I would use to promote the Florence Study Abroad Program.

More specific recruitment efforts will include the follow:

• I will meet with Chrisanne Knox to explore Marketing opportunities, both in print and electronic; for example, the e-connect email blast to students and the weekly email calendar of events.  (I’ve met with her staff and created a trifold brochure to promote our recently developed Psychology major)
• I will pitch a story to the student newspapers at CCCCD campuses.
• I will contact ASDVC and representatives of student government CCC and LMC and ask for a few minutes at a meeting to promote the program.
• I will identify all DVC Psychology majors, contact them and provide them with an informational flyer about the Florence program and specifically the psychology courses that will be offered, stressing the personal growth that can come from experiencing daily life in a different culture.
• I will meet with the financial aid and scholarship offices to become aware of possible financial assistance available to students.  I imagine that the monetary cost associated with the program is a common question of students.
• I will contact my colleagues in other disciplines at DVC and SRC and ask to visit their classes for 5-15 minutes to inform students of this exciting growth opportunity.  A target audience would be students enrolled in specific Art, Humanities and Italian Language courses.
• I will contact instructors at SRC, CCC and LMC to provide them with posters, flyers and materials to promote the program on their campuses.
• I have already spoken to 6 different DVC faculty that have participated in the Study Abroad Program and have been gathering flyers and ideas for recruitment from them since I became a full time faculty member in 2002.  I would like to create a forum for a panel discussion with them, as well as past study abroad students.

I am enthusiastic about Italy and education abroad programs and already do what I can to promote the programs in my own classes; I am confident that I can convey to students the academic and personal benefits of studying abroad.  Much like my students, I was a young twenty something woman from a small Northern California town when I experienced Europe for the first time, far from home and totally on my own.  I can bring to the recruitment process my own personal and relatable story about my 3 month European adventure. I am thrilled at the possibility of teaching abroad in Florence, as this will be my fifth trip to the city if selected.  My passion for travel, teaching and Italy will be contagious.  I will attend all information sessions so I am better equipped to serve my students and the program.

2.            Approximately 35 students may apply locally for the program.  Are you prepared and willing to provide informal educational and personal advising and support services for these students? 

If selected for this program, students will benefit from my skills in two ways, first from my passion for teaching psychology and second from my counseling skills. 

I consider my personal work with students one of the benefits of being a community college instructor.  I have the privilege of sharing my love for Psychology with large groups of people inside the classroom and then utilize my counseling skills with individual students outside of class.  My Masters in Counseling Psychology is what afforded me the opportunity to work in the One-Stop Student Service Center while teaching part time when I first came to DVC in 1999.  I met with academically at risk students, that were part of a grant program, twice a semester to provide educational and personal advising.  Program participants were also invited to attend a weekly group counseling session that I facilitated.

I recognize that while travel can be exciting, it can also be stressful.  Many of the students in this program will be further away from home, for a longer period of time than ever before in their lives.  Everything will be new, different….foreign.  This new terrain may provoke anxieties and present challenges for students that will require compassion and understanding on my part.  I take great pride in my ability to mentor and encourage students, and I look forward to exercising my counseling skills and sharing resiliency techniques.  A benefit to traveling with a “program,” as opposed to traveling independently, is the shared experience.  I am excited about being a part of this adventure; making connections with individual students and helping them connect with each other.

Other Details

1.            Have you been a Study Abroad participant during the last ten (10) years?   No

2.            Write a personal statement expressing why you desire to participate in the Study Abroad Program.

To date the greatest growth experience in my life was the summer I spent backpacking through Europe when I was 22 years old.  I want to facilitate, and be witness to, the growth of my students as they experience a new culture, stretch their boundaries in an unfamiliar environment and broaden their awareness.

Those ten weeks were transformative for me and from them I have developed a lifelong love for art and culture.  To this day, I still remember the first time I saw Michelangelo’s sculpture of David and Bottechelli’s painting The Birth of Venus, both in Florence.

As a psychology instructor I hope to make student’s aware of how they see the world and themselves within it.  I will challenge them to notice gender interaction, as well as social dynamics within Italian culture.  Students will be encouraged to witness and compare these social dynamics both on the street, and as it is reflected in art within the museums.  

3.            What special qualifications do you have that make you well suited to serve as a semester abroad faculty member?

·       I am an seasoned traveler and educator

·       I have stayed in Florence many times and I am familiar with the layout of the city as well as its cultural and historical sites

·       I love teaching and I love Italy therefore my passions will be shared with my students

·       I view life, travel and culture as a psychological study and will create teaching moments from daily experiences

·       I have the professional counseling and resiliency skills to provide personal advising and support services to students far from home

·       I understand the mind and needs of the twenty-something students that will be participants in this program, as my son is member of the millennial generation and is away at college, experiencing what it is like to be on his own for the first time

·       I believe that I can enthusiastically and successfully promote this program

·       I am flexible and able to adapt easily to events as they present themselves

·       I work well with others in a teaching community

4.            Please feel free to add further information that will assist both the local faculty selection committee and the college consortium committee in making a final decision on the faculty/curriculum for the upcoming programs.

As I have been working on this application, it has become clear to me that this opportunity has been years in the making.  Unconsciously I have been planning on teaching in Italy for quite some time now.  I have made 4 pilgrimages to Florence in particular, at very different times in my life.  I’m looking at a Tuscan calendar on my office wall and a bookshelf full of Italian travel guides.  Next to the guides are books that read like an Italian Art History bibliography.  Vasari’s Lives of the Artists by Giorgio Vasari, My Life by Benvenuto Cellini, Michelangelo & the Pope’s Ceiling and Brunelleschi’s Dome both by Ross King, and The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland to name a few.  I have read all of these books with a secret hope to weave them into the content of particular classes that I would love to teach in Italy. 

Utilizing the first four books we would analyze the personalities of the great Renaissance artists and architects of Florence in the Psychology of Personality course.  The story of Artemisia Gentileschi, the first female painter elected to the Accademia dell’ Arte, tells of her struggle to reconcile painting and motherhood in a patriarchal post-Renaissance Italy.  This book is currently on my Psychology of Women’s reading list and would facilitate a lively discussion on gender roles then and now.

I bring with me professional counseling and resiliency skills to assist students far away from all things familiar.  I have a keen understanding of the undergraduate young adult mind; my son is a college sophomore currently away at school. I have an unbridled passion for the field of psychology and would be thrilled to share that with my students, finding teaching moments in everyday life in one of my favorite cities.  I ask that you give my application your most serious consideration.  If selected, I will value this gift afforded to tenured faculty by honoring the student's educational and psychological needs.