Community

My goal is to inspire and touch the lives of my students and help them become master teachers. I want to instill a passion for teaching by being a vibrant role model who is child centered, caring and nurturing. I believe University of Phoenix students deserve the very richest learning experience possible. I set high expectations for myself and my students. I give them my best and hold them accountable for learning. My philosophy is to always remember that my students may be teaching my granddaughter one day and I want each and every one of them to be the best and most effective teacher they can be.

As a faculty member, it is especially rewarding to observe my students while they're student teaching and see them put the knowledge and skills they gained into practice. Attending graduation is also very rewarding. Watching students walk across the stage, seeing how proud their parents and friends are, being invited to graduation parties, hearing from them when they get that job they dreamed of, and having them call with questions about teaching after they've been teaching awhile - these are the things that inspire me to continue teaching.

Myrtle Combrink, College of Education

University of Phoenix caught my eye as a cutting-edge educational institution. I appreciate that professional expertise is valued and staff development is part of the faculty program. At first, I thought online teaching was going to create a feeling of distance from my students. On the contrary, it has provided some of my most meaningful and effective teaching experiences. I hope to stay connected with University of Phoenix throughout my professional life. I find it rewarding to share my expertise as a parenting specialist with education students.

Sally Goldberg, PhD, College of Education

Teaching and learning have been my passion for as long as I can remember. My mother tells of me organizing all the children in the neighborhood into a backyard "classroom." True to my dreams, I was blessed with a 36-year career as a public school educator.

Now, as a University of Phoenix faculty member, my goal is to enable students to develop the knowledge, skills and aptitudes necessary for success in the classroom and in their personal and professional lives. Ultimately, the goal of learning is to build the capacity and competence to advance the human condition. This is the personal teaching and learning challenge I hold most dear.

During nearly every class, some event causes me to appreciate my teaching role at University of Phoenix. Sometimes it is a student who says, "I really enjoyed that activity." Sometimes it's the interactions I observe during small-group activities or the phone call asking clarification of the assignment. A student's comment on a recent survey caused me to smile broadly. It said, "This instructor showed that she really cared about the learning of each student in the class."

Connie Lorthridge, EdD, College of Education