For many people, teaching full time at a Los Angeles college campus may seem intimidating, especially in the start of a new fall semester.
Chadwick Snow, new psychology teacher at Pierce College, has been added full time this fall.
Snow taught some courses part time at Pierce during the spring 2007 semester. He also taught two semesters at California State University Long Beach, one semester at Loyola Marymount University and at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, all from 2005 to 2007.
“At a major university, there is less interaction with the students. At junior college, there is more emphasis on teaching. It’s the best teaching experience,” said Snow.
Snow has a doctorate in social psychology, which is the science that studies beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of individuals in settings where other people are present.
“I have been intrigued in human behaviors dating back to my undergrad years,” said Snow. “Teaching is my life’s calling. I have always been intrigued in the human brain and what makes it tick. I want to be able to expose people to ideas that they have not been exposed to before.”
Snow, originally from Massachusetts, arrived in California in pursuit of bettering himself with a higher education degree and for better job opportunities. He came to California in the summer of 1998 and has lived here ever since.
He is 32, single, has no children and is very dedicated to his career. His extended family lives in Massachusetts.
Lisette Gallardo, whose major is undecided, has Snow as a teacher this semester.
“He is very organized in his lessons and the class runs smoothly,” said Gallardo.
Other than teaching, Snow enjoys writing and has been published in The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and also in The Journal of Self and Identity, both scholarly journals.
He also enjoys films and tries to incorporate them as learning tools in the classroom.
“I use movie clips in class that help explain concepts. I will be playing a movie in one of my classes this semester called The Squid and the Whale.”
Even for experienced educators, all new full-time teachers at Pierce are assigned a mentor for guidance and wisdom. Snow’s mentor, Bruce Yoshiwara, has been teaching full time at Pierce since 1989 and has also written several algebra and pre-algebra textbooks.
“The best piece of advice for anyone teaching is to always continue improving what you do in the classroom,” said Yoshiwara.
“I love Pierce College and am very excited to be here full time,” said Snow.
Professor of Psychology Chadwick J. Snow, 32, began teaching at Pierce College in spring 2007 as a part-time instructor and is now full time. ()