Teacher of the Year teaches self-confidence
May 2, 2005
Professor Dorothy Sherling was voted by her students and colleagues as Irvine Valley’s best college teacher in 2005. She will be honored at commencement ceremonies on May 20.
She was named Teacher of the Year “for her belief that students can achieve higher academic goals than they could have imagined for themselves, and for making math ‘understandable.’”
The Irvine resident, who has over 20 years experience teaching college mathematics, said she was surprised and delighted with news of the award, but downplayed the notion that she was the school’s best teacher.
“I’m grateful that I’ve been acknowledged with the award, but I like to think that we—all of us here at IVC—help our students to succeed every day,” she said.
In 2003, Sherling became the director of the college Honors Program, which offers motivated students the opportunity to take on academically rigorous coursework in a variety of disciplines. She handles the day-to-day operations of a busy office while helping to ensure that IVC’s honors curriculum articulates with programs at universities like UCI and UCLA.
“My experience has been that students enjoy a challenge. Our Honors Program is designed to capitalize on the intellectual curiosity that they bring with them when they step on campus; however, we design courses that are on par with anything they’d get at a four-year school so that they’re prepared when they get there,” she said, adding that facing a challenge builds confidence.
Honors student Li-Li Hu takes analytic geometry and calculus from Sherling. She has taken a class from her once before and sought her out again this semester.
“The quizzes and tests are never easy,” said Hu. “She would spend two or three house outside of the class teaching students math and finding interesting math problems for students to solve. Although her class is really demanding and requires hard work [she is] just so cheerful and spiritual that you can’t help it but to love her and love the subject.”
Sherling said that is the point.
“You have to love what you do. I love teaching mathematics, holding workshops and doing research. I try to impart that enthusiasm to our students. They are a joy to teach,” she said.
Sherling has a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston and is the recipient of numerous awards and grants. She received the Teaching Excellence Award from the University of Houston in 1981, and was selected by the Ohio Academy of Science for Exemplars: Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics in 1989.
She has lived in Irvine since 1993 and enjoys sailing with her husband and two sons.
Adjunct math instructor Barry Pearlstein was chosen the Part-Time Teacher of the Year and was acknowledged for his ability to make a difficult subject easy to understand.
According to his students, Pearlstein teaches with endless patience and a natural talent for helping with students to overcome their fear of math. He is also know for his repertoire of great jokes
Sherling and Pearlstein will have their names submitted to the Orange County Board of Education in consideration for both state educator awards. State winners will be honored this fall.