The Whitworthian

Issue date: 11/13/07

Some classes are required at Whitworth. Some professors should be. These five teachers teach how a teacher should teach. Each retains his or her own styles and methods, true, but they are all able to, and teach in a way students can relate to. Here are the professors you absolutely, positively, have to take:

Ron Pyle

"I don't ask rhetorical questions."

Ron currently celebrates his 20th year of teaching at Whitworth.

Though I'm sure his skills would have been useful to many different universities and professions, Whitworth appealed to him for three reasons: It was the only college he applied to teach at, Whitworth placed value on teaching, and the value of student-teacher integration was apparent in classrooms throughout the college.

Though Pyle's master's degree was in rhetoric, he makes a point to tell all his classes that he "never asks rhetorical questions." When Ron Pyle asks the class a question, he wants a response. By encouraging response and consistently requesting it, students feel needed in the process of teaching.

"Education isn't merely an importation of knowledge," Pyle said. "I listen as well as speak."

Favorite class to teach: Interpersonal Communication

Most impartation of knowledge: Rhetoric

Classes every student should take: Interpersonal Communication, Intro to the Christian Faith, and C.S. Lewis

Leonard Oakland

The Rock, the hard place, like a wind from Gelderland he sweeps by… and stays for 40 years.

Leonard Oakland could lecture for hours on the importance of Aristotle or the last great work of Fyodor Dostoevsky, but he's always willing to be involved with his students.

His Whitworth career is epic. It spans years, continents, and pages upon pages of metaphorical bloodshed - not to mention his class on the epic novel.

His inspired teaching draws students to find genuine interest in the topics he teaches. Oakland divides his teaching styles into two methods. The Core 250 non-interactive lecture is his specialty, although Leonard loves the feeling and application of an "interrupted lecture," one with more student participation. His ideal setting is a smaller class with more student discussion involved.

Even in a class that holds little interest to your academic career, Oakland illustrates a pinnacle of knowledge and virtuoso inspiration. This impresses upon how the material covered is meant to affect the human spirit.

Favorite class to teach: British Literature after 1800 (though he also has an affinity for the Epic and Russian Literature.)

Most impartation of Knowledge: Core 250

Class every student should take: The French Revolution with Corliss Slack

Corliss Slack

She won't give you any slack; you have to take it from her!

Though I have never personally taken a class from Corliss Slack, as soon as I mentioned this article, cries for Corliss were issued wherever I went.

Corliss Slack stands out in her ability to encourage the present to care about the long-forsaken past. This is the only full-time teaching job she has ever applied for.

In her ninth teaching year at Whitworth, this Oxford graduate knows what it takes to capture the student's involvement in class discussions.

Instead of simply lecturing, Slack often has students read speeches and other historical texts.

This was apparent after spending only minutes in her Crusades class.

When I asked what her main focal point in her teaching style was she said it is to get students to read and think for themselves. The class sometimes sounds like a series of student voices intermingled with consistent: "and…", "come on!", "is there anything more?" "go!" and "what?"

Favorite class to teach: Ideas About History (it's the most fun because she can argue with seniors.)

Most impartation of knowledge: The Crusades

Classes every student should take: Anything overseas and at least one class from Leonard Oakland

Doug Sugano

Authority on all things Shakespeare and Chaucer… and multiculturality

Don't trust the rumors, freshmen. Dr. Sugano is not the Jekyll to the Hyde of a secret "Dr. Death" persona. Sure, his classes require a bit of thinking and hard work, but this is college. Face it, overcome your fears, and learn.

When I took Shakespeare Seminar (senior level for all you non-English majors out there) from Sugano my freshman year, he took me aside and told me I would be hard-pressed to attain a passing grade in the class.

Luckily after long nights of research and days of memorizing lines for Shakespeare in the HUB, I was fortunate enough that Sugano was always willing to edit what I had written, including the 13-page research paper.

Sugano may be harsh on papers, but as a result he teaches you how to write the best research papers on campus. He also teaches in a way that covers all aspects of a topic.

"I try to give students as much of my expertise as I can, in every way I can," Sugano said. "Different students remember different things in my classes, I dish it all up in case students learn better through different methods. I make sure to apply many methods."

Favorite class to teach: Multicultural American Literature (because it's not just English majors)

Most impartation of knowledge: British Literature before 1800

Class every student should take: The Crusades with Corliss Slack

Forrest Baird

Forrest dons the mask of the orator.

The father of modern Whitworth philosophy is a professor intent on launching the inspiration into students' own hands.

His ultimate goal in teaching students is to become what he refers to as an "intellectual matchmaker."

From his entertainingly honest large group lectures of Core 250 (Freshmen, just make it through 150. The next one is worth it), to the lecture/discussion-based classes of ancient philosophy, Forrest relates to his students.

His role as a matchmaker between the content and student serves as a catalyst.

"Once I've taught the students what they need to know about a subject, I want them to connect with the subject on their own."

Though his main focus is directly relevant to the daily application and history of philosophy, it is his ability to communicate that makes him a great teacher.

Favorite class to teach: Ancient Philosophy (Students can see the application of ancient thought.)

Most impartation of knowledge: Ancient Philosophy

Classes every student should take: Ancient Philosophy, Interpersonal Communication with Ron Pyle, and History of Christianity with Jerry Sittser.

Illustrations by Kaitlin Trott

Kelly McCrillis is an opinions columnist and a junior majoring in English and journalism. Contact him at kelly.mccrillis@whitworthian.com.

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