Wendy Martyna

“I have always loved teaching and learning. I bribed other neighborhood kids to “play school” with me, in the the summers, on the weekends, even right after school let out. It took the promise of chocolate chip cookies to get them to come sit in my garage and do my homemade worksheets, so I would have something to “grade”. As it turns out, grading is not my favorite part of teaching, but I still feel that learning can be play – good, hard play – filled with experimentation, discovery, and exuberance”

Wendy Martyna is a continuing lecturer in the Sociology Department. She teaches courses on social psychology that focus on social psychology, death and dying, family and youth, gender issues, language and social interaction, and social change. She received the Excellence in Teaching Award after the 2002-03 academic year.

To hear more of her advice on reading and writing, click here.

Interview Questions
0:00 Introduction
0:12 How would you describe your teaching style or philosophy?
0:48 What kinds of courses do you teach?
1:59 How do you handle writing in your classes?
2:55 What kinds of readings do you assign?
4:22 What kinds of writing projects do you assign?
6:04 What is your students’ favorite part of your classes?
7:00 What are some of the biggest challenges you face in the classroom?
8:31 What do you find most satisfying about teaching?


Teaching Statement
Wendy Martyna’s Teaching Statement

*Dr. Martyna’s teaching statement can be found on page 9 


Course Materials
SOCY111 Family & Society
SOCY142 Langauge & Social Interaction
SOCY168 Social Justice
SOCY150 Social Psychology of Death & Dying
SOCY145 Sociology of Men


Contact
Email: wmartyna@ucsc.edu
Phone: 831-459-5493
Office: College Eight Room 216