Dear Faculty:
I want to welcome you to SCC, whether you are brand new or have been contributing your knowledge and talents for many semesters. Because we are committed to providing students with high-quality, up-to-date programs and courses, we depend on people like you to bring new skills and a fresh outlook to the teaching and learning process. While you are here, we want to provide you with all the support you need to make your experience as rewarding as possible. Teaching at SCC is a life-changing process that impacts our community in and beyond the college. I hope you will be enriched and inspired by your teaching experiences with us and decide you want to do it for a long time to come.
One of the things that makes teaching at SCC so unique is that we are a truly learning-centered college. What that means is that the teacher is not simply a subject area specialist whose job is to bring new knowledge and skills to the students. If that were the case, anyone with the credentials or the experience could be a teacher. Learning-centered teaching means bringing the student to new knowledge or skills. It means teaching students, not simply delivering content or instructions.
I hope you will reflect on your own positive learning experiences and consider the kind of teacher you want to be for our students. Remember the "Aha!" of discovering something in your content area for the first time or the joy of being able to explain a complex concept to your peers. Then think of the teacher who facilitated those exhilarating learning experiences. That is what teaching at SCC is all about.
I offer you my personal invitation to call me if there is anything I can do to help you meet the challenge of teaching. When the synergy is working, your students will never forget it . . . nor will you. And I, and the rest of SCC, appreciate what you do.
Sincerely,
Barbara Putman, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President, Instruction and Student Services
