Cypress College, Fullerton College, and North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE) selected nominees for the 2023 OC Teachers of the Year Awards: Professors Gloria Badal, Deidre Hughes, and Caroline Kim.
Cypress College Political Science Professor Gloria Badal says she has two responsibilities, "imparting academic understanding of the discipline and helping students understand the profound importance of their role as citizens in a democratic society." She does this with "love, understanding, and solidarity with students." A colleague of Gloria's shared, "A hallmark of Gloria's teaching is her absolute commitment to students and their success. She is not only tuned into their experience in her class, but serves a a mentor and guide, invested in how students transition to universities and the workforce." Gloria has opened her students' eyes to the possibility of a career in politics, hosting political lecture series that showcase job opportunities, such as lawyer, legislative aide, and lobbyist.
Fullerton College nominated Mindfulness Professor and Mindful Growth Initiative Co-Leader Deidre Hughes. Deidre has taught at Fullerton College for 30 years, honing her teaching philosophy of creating a safe space for students through special instructional pedagogies, such as problem-posing education, community-based inquiry, and service learning. One student shared of Deidre's classroom, "This is not just a place of learning; it is a catalyst for a collaborative environment paved with mutual respect. This is a place of refuge, belonging, growth, exploration, healing, discovery, common humanity, and community." Deidre is a campus leader not only integrating these pedagogies into her own work, but also helping other faculty do so as well; thus, institutionalizing her practices to foster change in the instructional and cultural landscape of the campus.
Professor Caroline Kim is an adjunct faculty member in NOCE's English as a Second Language (ESL) and Citizenship Programs. Caroline began teaching ESL Beginning High, ESL Learning Center, and Citizenship Preparation at NOCE in January 2020. She is a faculty leader, serving on the NOCE Academic Senate, updating curriculum to focus on learners of varying skill levels, and mentoring her peers to develop the technology skills and confidence needed to transition to remote instruction. Caroline's students and colleagues describe her as "passionate, patient, kind, smart, and encouraging." One ESL student commented of Caroline, "During my [time] studying at NOCE, I have had several teachers. All of them are amazing, but Caroline Kim is just [a] unique teacher and personality…she knows the subject just excellent; she is so enthusiastic and optimistic, she can inspire students and make them more confident. And of course, she is always smiling and always in a good mood."
The District's three nominees will join nominees from 28 K-12 school districts, three regional occupational programs, and 10 community colleges in Orange County for a recognition banquet hosted by SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union on October 28, 2022. Congratulations to Professors Gloria Badal, Deidre Hughes, and Caroline Kim on this great accomplishment.