Becoming a Successful Community College Professor

Book excerpt: Designed to mentor aspiring and current faculty, Becoming a Successful Community College Professor analyzes the ways in which the current institution of community colleges affects both staff and students, and presents strategies for effectively navigating the community college professor role from the point of job search to tenure status. With emphasis on key elements such as getting hired, class preparation, student needs, college policies and culture, and an abundance more, this book focuses on training professors to successfully overcome the challenges that the current academic climate presents. Through the inclusion of interview vignettes with faculty across the United States, this book represents a wide range of disciplines and closely examines socioeconomic classes, racial and ethnic identities, gender and sexuality, and the varying faculty positions within the community college. Coverage also consists of syllabi creation, assessment and grading, faculty mentoring, problem-solving in the classroom, and the nuances of online learning. Intended for graduate students and existing faculty, this book will provide insight into what community college professorship entails through discussions of equity and engagement, as well as offer valuable tips for keeping up with the field as it continually evolves.