New CCC professors share outlook

When Clovis Community College classes started Monday, 11 instructors started full-time teaching careers. Here is what three new professors said about their first semester teaching at CCC.

• Mary Beth Williams taught math at Eastern New Mexico University for five years before taking a professorship at CCC. She teaches mathematics.

Mary Beth Williams

"Eastern is where my eyes opened to the benefits of technology in the classroom and different progressive teaching styles. I hope to integrate more technology such as computer-based notes, lectures and presentations into the classroom.

"I want to get the students more comfortable with software. This offers a more individual-based learning system than your regular lecture and book work. I look forward to working with the different student dynamic here.

"At Eastern there were a lot of 18 year-olds fresh out of high school. It will be interesting to see how a more diverse student body affects the class. I just try to keep the classroom fun. I play games and tell jokes. I try to get them to interact with one another so it's not just a strict lecture monkey see monkey do type thing."

• Anna Stidham graduated from the CCC nursing program in 2010. Stidham, who has lived, attended school and worked in Lubbock for the past two years, is teaching nursing for the first time.

Anna Stidham

"I've always wanted to teach. I welcome the challenge. It's not new content but it's (teaching) is a new area for me. I want to play a productive role in putting out nurses in our community who are safe and have a good knowledge base.

"I want to provide great instruction and availability. I want to always be available to my students. Community college instructors need to be kind and caring. It's very important that the students feel we have an open door policy in our offices.

"If they're struggling and need help, the door is always open to them. The new building is beautiful. It's set so that the students have so many different education opportunities with the simulation lab, the computer lab and of course the big classrooms."

• Michelle Hughes began her college career at CCC and previously worked as a tutor and part-time faculty at CCC. Hughes teaches science.

"I was inspired to take on the position because I wanted to share the knowledge I have obtained with others. Seeing how many students I have been able to reach as a tutor and part-time instructor pushed me to want to be a greater influence in students' academic lives.

Michelle Hughes

"During my first year at CCC, I hope to build a concrete yet unique and creative lab curriculum that parallels the necessities of the lecture curriculum. I want to add more hands-on to the labs in the book, which are pretty basic.

"The one thing I look forward to most is being on the opposite side of the spectrum. Eight years ago, I sat at the same tables taking the same classes I am now teaching.

"My definition of a good community college science professor is one who has come from a diverse background or community and understands the role of a non-traditional student."