Teacher Feature

Of  the  many  concerns  that  students  have  upon  entering  or  returning  to  college  the  highest  among them are what courses to take. What class  will teach me something? Which instructors are  engaging and interesting? These answers can be found on a  number of Web sites but, in most cases, students are reliant  on  word-of-mouth  from  fellow  students  with  experience  enough  to  recommend.  I am such a student and  this  is my  recommendation, take Anthropology. 

The motivated professors of the Anthropology department  lay  out  for  you  the  broad  subjects  of  science,  culture  and  history presented in way that you might enjoy.  Two  fgures  loom  highest  in  Fullerton  College’s  Anthropology  department;  Karen  Markley  and  Leonor  Monreal.  Markley  was  hired  in  1998  working  with  Del  Alcorn, a Native American archeologist. Monreal was hired  in  2005,  a  student  of  both Markley  and Alcorn  and  is  at  present pursuing her PHD in the feld.  Currently  the  department  offers  a  variety  of  courses  including  Cultural  and  Physical Anthropology  (dealing  in  equal parts science and natural history). Both are offered as honors and online classes. Other courses include anthropology  of Magic, Witchcraft,  and Religions,  Language and Culture,  Archaeology, Cultures of Latin America (with a choice of a  feld trip) and, beginning next spring, a new course developed  by Markley entitled Celtic Studies. As  for  a  testimonial,  my  personal  experience  evolved  while taking Physical Anthropology with Mrs. Monreal.

The  subjects of early man and primates were never so interesting.  Taking  the  usual  suspects  normally  found  in  biology  and  applying  a  cultural  relevancy made  the  customary  science  malaise  disappear.  Have  fun  on  the  guided  out  of  class  excursions  to museums  (for  increased knowledge) and  the  San Diego Zoo to observe orangutans for credit. It was one  of the few courses where you had to apply what you learned  in class  in a feld situation, relatively speaking, as  it was a  zoo. If you have to pay for courses you might as well have  an adventure for your money.