| August 2009 Stars
 Dr. Misha Turner
Center for Teaching and Learning
“I tend to use the personal approach with students. This means taking
the time to ask students how they are doing when I am walking across
campus and on many occasions inviting them to my office. I let them know
that I am available to answer questions or direct them to the
appropriate person(s). I have met and provided support and informally
mentored many students here at Moraine Valley using this technique. A
continued focus on all divisions collaborating to create and sustain
effective systems, practices and procedures to support the learning and
success of our students is key.”
 Mary K. Hamann
Career Programs—Health Information Management
“I teach the HIM introductory class for many who are looking to become
coders, transcriptionists and record techs. My strategy is used by many
I am sure. Our class is a lab class with many practical application
assignments. The students come from different work backgrounds. Some
assignments are easy for those who have worked in healthcare and mind
boggling for those with no experience. I encourage the students to help
each other and, of course, I am roaming the room answering questions. I
have noticed that groups are formed and all help each other. The
atmosphere created is respect and a sense of ease that all will be well.
No one will be left behind. Mix adult learners with the young. They can
learn from each other.”
July 2009 Stars
 Anna
Coco
Full-time Counseling Faculty Member
“Joining with the student on the way to my office is key to building
trust with them. I will introduce myself and engage in "small talk" with
them before our appointment officially begins. This act seems to
increase their comfort level and willingness to work with me. I also will ask them if I am pronouncing their name correctly and invite them
to correct me if I do not. I also try and incorporate what we have
learned in various staff development activities regarding different
cultural practices. Students seem to appreciate the effort. Also, one of
the last actions I take is to hand out my business card and explain I am
available to help with anything in the future.”
 Sandy
Leonard
Career Programs Secretary
“One of the most important things to remember is to try to help a
student the first time they call with a question or concern. We've all
experienced the run around at various times when trying to gain
information about something concerning us in our own personal lives. It
is a frustrating feeling and often times we just give up and deal with
whatever the problem is. It is important that our students don't get
frustrated and just give up.”
May - June 2009 Stars
 Bob Palagi
Director, Testing Center
“I understand and recognize the level of practical knowledge that each
adult student brings to class is through their accumulated life
experiences with work-related activities, family responsibilities and
previous education. The adult student relates to learning through these
life experiences and has a greater understanding of its value in the
classroom when the instructor reinforced these relationships of
experienced knowledge to a new academic experience.”
 Gayle Wengelewski
Adjunct Instructor, ESL
“I start each class out with an open ended question that each member of
the class has to respond to, and then ask the next member of the class
the same question. This brings a feeling of community to the classroom.
When you are together for three hours, it helps to get to know each
other. Make your class fun. Think of creative ways to introduce new
material that allows the students to have some fun and also learn.
Utilize the Worldwide Web for ideas on how to do this if you are not
creative. When students want to come to class, they will learn more.”
April 2009 Stars
 Donna Lauritzen
Adjunct Instructor, IMS/OSA Department
"Expect success! Students will do what is expected of them. If we expect
our students to succeed, most often they will, regardless of obstacles
in their way. If we believe in our students, and we set the standard at
a higher level—but one they can achieve—they will begin to believe
in themselves. Once they believe in themselves, they can achieve
anything they desire. On the other hand, if we set the standard too low,
or if we don't expect much of our students, they won't expect much from
themselves; they won't be motivated. We all need someone to believe in
us, and believe we can achieve great things!"
 Amy Williamson
Department Chair, Assistant Professor, Psychology
“I noticed how actively involved students get in my online class
discussions and wanted a way to keep that going for all my students.
Something new I am doing is social networking based on the idea of
social retention strategies. I am using ning.com. All students in every
class are invited but they are not required to join the site. The
advantage of a site like ning.com over
Blackboard or other course management systems is that ning.com remains
even after the course is over. My goal is for the relationships the
students develop in the course to continue after the course is over. If
they do, this social support may help students stay in college—
especially with students who may only be on campus long enough for class
and whose family and friends may not quite understand what college is
about and thus may not always be as supportive as they'd like to be. The
potential also exists for former students who have moved on to continue
in the discussions and mentor current students.”
March 2009 Stars
 Feiruz
"Faye" Shehadi
Evening Coordinator, Career Programs and Intensive English Language
Instructor
I have found that teaching a language means to engage the students not
only through exercises in structured textbook applications, but also
through improvisation. In my beginning writing classes when I am
teaching descriptive paragraphs or essays, I use improvised learning
tools of scenes of natural and man-made landscapes and architecture
taken from old calendar months. The students are directed to work in
groups of three and write as many descriptive lines about the scene they
are describing. You would be surprised in the amount of description, for
example, a scene from the Magnificent Mile can generate in color,
shapes, mood, personal observation and impressions. Moreover, when each
group presents its individual calendar scene, oftentimes, the rest of
the class sees more than the presenter. This exercise engages students
to work and contribute to a group effort and to look for detail.
February 2009
Stars
 Carol
Antosz
Department Assistant, Transfer and Articulation
“I have found that saying 'hi' is sometimes all it takes to reach a
student. Establishing good rapport and an open line of communication to
build student trust is essential. Students gain
their trust because they remember the person who took the time to reach
out. Many students remember this when they need help or just need
someone to talk to for a few minutes. Students now stop me to say 'hi.'
This in turn gives me the opportunity to ask how he or she is and how
classes are coming along. Students need to know and understand that we
are here to help and should not be afraid to ask for it. What an awesome
feeling it is to know I have reached a student when he or she has
tracked me down by appearing at my desk looking for help.”
Tiffany Robinson
Student Government Association President
“The instructors have to engage ALL of their students. If students
are engaged and they feel like they are a part of what is going on, they
will succeed and have fun in the process. Once the instructors have the
students engaged, it will be easy for the students to buy in to what the
instructor is teaching. Learning has to be fun! Instructors have to find
a way to make a connection between the textbooks and the real world. As
I reflect back on my journey at Moraine, I can say that Moraine Valley
has some awesome instructors that will help you realize that what you're
doing here every day is connected to the real world. So the motto,
"changing lives, for a changing world is perfect for Moraine Valley."
January 2009
Stars
 Gena
Bradford
Users Support Specialist
“Every student that I encounter is greeted with a warm smile and
greeting. I truly believe that once a student is made comfortable, then
he/she is free to learn. All students should be treated with respect and
courtesy, and remember to never judge a book by its cover.”
Raiana Mearns
Director, Adult Basic Education
“Students in our GED program were typically not successful in their
school experience. They left school for many reasons, but they usually
have a certain amount of fear associated with returning to school. Some
of our older adults left school in the elementary grades and feel
intimidated in a classroom of mixed ages. I let students determine the
classroom norms on the first night. They are the rules that everyone can
live with. I also have students write their expectations of the class,
and I let them know what I expect from them.”
December 2008
Stars
 Cara
Williams
Psychology Instructor
“Before beginning a topic, I like to find
out what the class already knows. At that time, I will call on students
BY NAME to tell what the specific topic means to them. This makes them
feel known and an important part of the class. Furthermore, this
strategy triggers previous knowledge. Research shows that when students
connect information to past knowledge or personal experiences, they are
more likely to remember it.”
November 2008
Stars
 Dawn
Fry
Program Assistant, Office of Student Life
“When I am making my way around campus, I often stop and chat briefly
with students that I’ve met either in new student orientation or in the
advising department. I ask them how things are going and if they need
any further help. I always wish them luck and encourage them to use
Moraine Valley resources when they have questions or issues for class
planning. They seem happy to know I remember them and enjoy the
direction I can provide outside of the formal environment we have met in
previously. I think this friendly interaction helps them to see they are
not just some unknown face taking classes, that we care about their
success at Moraine Valley.”
 Donna
McCauley
Coordinator, Recreation Management/Recreation
Therapy
“The commitment I have made to teach COL-101 is to serve as a mentor for
incoming students, helping students connect to the resources and tools
available on this campus to be successful.”
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