Meet Marcos Cicerone, A Distinguished Educator

Marcos Cicerone is one of the most dynamic and engaging educators imaginable! "De Anza is extremely fortunate that Marcos applies his talents both as an instructor of Spanish as well as director of the Office of Staff and Organizational Development," said Judy Miner, vice president of Instruction. "He is truly a master teacher and whether he is conducting an Instructional Skills Workshop, leading a discussion on learning communities, or teaching a lesson in Spanish on irregular verbs, Marcos displays a gift for coaching others to understanding and achievement."

Students and colleagues alike appreciate his enthusiasm, patience, supportiveness, wisdom and clarity. "Marcos demonstrates his ability to teach the diverse student population at De Anza College by making sure that he recognizes each person who becomes his student as someone unique and important – whether the person is 17 or 60, whether an entering freshman or seasoned faculty member, whether classified or certificated colleague, whether naive or sophisticated to the content of his lesson," said Edwina Stoll, speech communications instructor at De Anza. "Marcos has taught me more about teaching than anyone else in my life."

Marcos said the mentoring he received from a couple of exceptional teachers during his graduate studies in Mexico influences him to this day. "They treated me not only as a student but also as a colleague."

So it comes as no surprise that his greatest joy is the personal contact with his own students. "As corny as it might sound, I am much more concerned with reaching each student as a whole person, rather than just serving to impart information," he said. "My focus is on getting students to be confident in their own ability to learn, to inspire them to want to learn, to help them develop communication skills and interpersonal skills that will benefit them long after they've finished my class."

Marcos said his favorite students are those who are a little "rowdy" or on the fringe. "I guess they remind me of myself as a student," he said. "I was not a very ‘engaged' student. My experience was the traditional sit down, be quiet, listen to the teacher and regurgitate the information on the test. I felt there must be a better way to do this ‘teaching thing' and figured I’d step up to that challenge. It's been a wild ride – every class and every student is a new experience."

In his position as director of Staff and Organizational Development, Marcos also focuses on working and coaching other teachers. "I find that to be incredibly challenging and amazingly rewarding," he said. "Trying to effectively mentor other faculty takes every bit of skill, patience and creativity that I have. I love it."

From the first day ESL instructor Marcy Betlach met Marcos in a new faculty orientation, she knew he was someone who was real, accessible and would tell it like it is. "I thought that if there were more people like him at De Anza, I would be happy. I have met many wonderful people in the past 10 years, but I can’t say there is anyone quite like Marcos. Marcos is a very genuine person. He is candid and upfront. You can go to him with any problem," Marcy said. "Behind his humble attitude, he cares deeply about meaningful and successful teaching and learning. He really cares about people."

Rich Schroeder, division coordinator for Physical Education and Athletics, said Marcos is the ultimate facilitator. "He can take a group of people and in a very short time, have them interacting like they have known each other for years. Marcos is very good at what he does. We have worked together for many years training tenure review committees in the tenure review process and in training candidates to know what to expect. Because of his intervention, we have had very few problems with the hundreds of new faculty who have gone through the tenure process."

Rich added that many years ago he took an Instructional Skills Workshop with Marcos that helped shape his own teaching style as it is today. "Marcos stressed that many teachers always stay in their comfort zone, doing the same thing year after year, but that in order to grow as an instructor, you have to step out of that comfort zone once in a while and try something completely different. Works for me!"

Mary Kay Englen, senior program coordinator for Staff Development, said she frequently hears from his students how Marcos' collaborative approach to teaching helps them develop confidence in the classroom. "The fun environment he creates makes them actually look forward to coming to class," she said. "He always has time to stop and chat with a student, current or former, and I don’t think he realizes how much they hold him in regard."

Because he is highly task-focused and action-oriented, classroom and workshop activities are judiciously chosen and expertly executed. "But in addition to his enviable pedagogical skills, he brings a heartfelt commitment to the development of human potential that inspires learners to broaden their goals and even take risks," Judy added. "Marcos has a generous spirit and sense of optimism that rises above the fray of budget and bureaucracy. He is truly a distinguished educator!"

Marcos chose "The Tyrant's Novel" by Thomas Kenneally as his award from Judy's stash of autographed books.

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