The Berryhill-Bryant Biography

The Berryhill-Bryant Biography: A Case of Pedagogical and Professional Acumen

(Written by Natalie Bryant)

 

I received my Associate of Arts in Theatre from South Plains College in 1979, Bachelor of Arts in English and Speech from Texas Tech in 1981 and Master of Arts in Speech Communication from Texas Tech in 1982. I am a professional educator with 25+ years experience, including 15 years coaching forensics, plus 3 years working as a investigative legal assistant. I attend conference workshops, training seminars, and conduct research yearly to stay current on all relevant developments in the areas of communication. I am proficient in distance education techniques and methods, including presentational technology. Here’s some inside “Scoop” regarding my teaching responsibilities, and campus, professional and community activities since joining South Plains College in 1992.

 

I have taught Business and Professional Speech, Public Speaking, Intro to Speech, Speech for Personal Competence, and Forensics while at SPC. Every year I have taught 18 to 21 hours per semester. My students consistently number between 160 and 180 per semester, with an average retention rate of 89%. My student evaluation calculations have averaged 4.9 on a 5.0 scale. Under my direction, the Forensic Team flourished from infancy to a nationally recognized team in both judging and competition. My past and present departmental duties include training judges, hosting high school tournaments, coaching and traveling with student competitors, preparing budgets, recruiting, Kappa Chi Omega Sponsor and Campus Ambassador Sponsor.

 

On campus, I have served in many capacities outside of my department including: Conflict Resolution Committee, Founder’s Challenge Captain, Chair for Scholarship Gala Menu Committee, Instructor for Entrepreneur Camp, Chair and Secretary for Scholarship Committee, Rank Promotion Committee, Miss Caprock Pageant Backstage Coordinator, Mistress of Ceremonies Bosses’ Day Luncheons and Scholarship Banquets, Selection and Training of Campus Ambassadors, Assistance for Student Athletes Program mentor, Education and Speech Communication Academic Advisor, Guest Lecturer in College Success Classes, Interdepartmental Relations Committee, VICA Judge, host of the College Connection, UIL Regional Judge, UIL Persuasive Speaking and Lincoln-Douglas Debate Contest Directors, voice-overs for SPC advertising spots, and served on many search committees.

 

On a professional level, I am presently the President of the Texas Speech Communication Association, having served the past two years as Vice President and Vice President-Elect. In this awesome organization, I have chaired the Instructional Development and Interpersonal/Organizational Interest Groups, the Educator of the Year Committee, U.I.L. Advisory Committee, and the Speech and Theatre in 2 yr. Colleges committee. I have presented 29 papers since 1992 at the TSCA Convention, authored 4 instructional workshop books for Forensic Training and one workbook for Public Speaking Courses, and co-authored the workbook for the Business and Professional Speech Courses. I was named the 2000 Texas Speech Communication Association Community College Educator of the Year and the 2001 Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient at South Plains College. I have served as the program coordinator, vice president and president of the West Texas Speech Association three times, and have served on the Noyce Burleson Scholarship Committee twice for the same organization. Other memberships include: National Communication Association, Texas Forensic Association, Phi Rho Pi Speech and Debate Association, Texas Intercollegiate Forensic Association and Texas Junior College Speech and Theatre Association. I received the Taylor-Colley Award and the Outstanding Service Award in 1999 for service to the Phi Rho Pi National Forensic Association. I was elected Phi Theta Kappa teacher of the month (February 1993) and accepted to Who’s Who Among American Teachers every year since 1995.

 

In the community, I am a member of Cactus Drive Church of Christ where I devote time to special activities in our singing and youth ministries. I sing alto in an acapella group called Sounds of the Heart. I have been a guest Speaker at Levelland Middle School and Junior High Career Days, Lubbock Chapter of Women in Communications, Lubbock Federal Credit Union Student Board, Society of Human Resource Management, Society of Risk Managers of America, Kiwanis Club, Conflict management seminars for the Levelland Middle School, the BCIS II classes at Levelland High School. and area high school in-services and the list goes on. I am married to Steve Bryant, Director of Risk Management for the Texas Tech University System, and have two very active children, Shane (19) a Junior at Angelo State University, and Faryn (15) a sophomore at Levelland High School. At present my family is hosting Janine Kremer, a sixteen year old exchange student from Germany. Please refer to my Philosophy of Education to get a feeling for my classroom “environment” as well as check out my ratings on rankmyprofessor.com.

Teaching Philosophy

Building Classroom Community: Natalie’s Axioms for Teaching and Learning

 

When beginning to develop my “philosophy of education” 20+ years ago, I pondered an inspirational lecture from Texas Tech’s Dr. John Deethardt and came to a frightening conclusion: I AM THE DECISIVE ELEMENT IN MY CLASSROOM! YIPES!!! My personal approach creates the climate; my daily mood affects the classroom “weather”. As a teacher I possess tremendous power to make a student’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor; hurt or heal. In all situations, my response decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, a student humanized or de-humanized. Whether I like it or not, as a teacher, I determine the knowledge my students acquire, the skills they master, and their attitudes toward self, others, and learning. The Bible outlines the Ten Commandments and Stephen Covey heralds the Seven Habits of Highly Successful People; therefore, I too should have a philosophical prescription for building a learning community. With this in mind, I have developed a baker’s dozen of axioms for teaching and learning.

 

    * Get to know your students and let your students know you. Frequent contact promotes student motivation/involvement. Get involved inside and outside the classroom. The quality of our relationships with the students, not the content we teach, becomes the most significant element determining our effectiveness.

    * Analyze your audience – your students – then meet the needs of each one. Celebrate and respect diversity in your classroom. Anyone and everyone can learn; a teacher just has to find the mechanism to develop that learning.

    * Watch and LISTEN through active learning. Practice active listening and learning! Remember, “teaching is not telling, and told is not taught.”

    * Encourage student – to – student interaction. Successful learning is collaborative and social.

    * Show justification and relevance in everything you teach. Give numerous examples through personal experience and research from all areas of life experiences. That’s what a student remembers. It makes the difference between learning and forgetting.

    * Stay POSITIVE AND ENERGETIC. A teacher’s mood and attitude toward self, others, and learning is contagious.

    * Compliment and reward student successes and accomplishments. Rewards should be public! Be a cheerleader/motivator.

    * Be prepared! Strong planning is the key to teacher respect. Respect your students’ time by never just “winging it”!

    * Develop a climate of mutual respect and trust. This is a must!

    * Encourage feedback – both positive and constructive. Feedback will open the lines of effective communication.

    * Maintain high expectations for both yourself and your students. No one ever said education would be easy.

    * Make learning a fun experience. Laugh and enjoy the learning experience.

    * Never stop learning. Because of our ever-changing world and technology, learning should be continuous. As teachers, we should be well informed of all technology and knowledge in our field.

 

My baker’s dozen list for teaching and learning has been tested repeatedly to become what it is today. My goal each semester is to communicate with my students one on one as well as in the classroom environment and consistently setting an example of a top-notch communicator. I respect and treat each student, as I would want to be treated as a person. My philosophy? The student is the most important person on campus. Without students, the institution itself does not exist. The student is not a cold enrollment statistic, but a human being with physical, emotional, and intellectual needs. A student is not someone to be tolerated so that I can “do my thing”. The student is not an interruption of my work, but its sole purpose. STUDENTS ARE “MY THING”. These axioms have served as my personal way of building a healthy, successful classroom community.

 

(Last updated on December 4, 2006 )