Meet Ulysses Pichon, A Distinguished Educator

Ulysses Pichon has been an instructor of reading at De Anza since 1976 and has consistently exemplified all the characteristics represented by the Distinguished Educator Award. "Courses in reading can be particularly challenging because students often arrive inexperienced and disinterested in the skill. Ulysses rises to the challenge with sensitivity and insight," said Judy Miner, vice president of Instruction.

"I had a difficult time with testing in school, a much harder time than I actually had with my studies, but it took me years to realize that it was the tests that had the problems, not me," Ulysses said. "In choosing teaching as a profession, I wanted to help students realize that we all have the potential to succeed, and that if we want something badly enough, we can achieve it."

Kim Chief Elk has been at De Anza and Foothill for more than 20 years and has known Ulysses as a fellow member of the Multicultural Staff Association, as her department chair and a teaching colleague. She testified to his energy and enthusiasm for his work and how deserving he is of recognition. "You could not have chosen better. The man sparkles. When one thinks how long he has been at his craft, it is amazing how powerful his commitment is to students whose world is broadened by the skills he teaches," Kim said. "He has chosen to teach in a field – reading – that truly empowers each student to pursue his or her own academic or career goal."

His evaluations reveal him to be an instructor who engages his students with thought-provoking materials that reflect the diversity of the students in the classroom. "When I learned how to effectively use collaborative learning as a teacher, this more than anything else helped me to establish a student-centered, active classroom. I think this has been most beneficial to students in my classes, and has transformed me into more of a ‘counselor/coach' than the traditional teachers that I had as mentors when I was in school," he said.

Ulysses attributes much of what he has learned about the classroom to his teaching heroes and heroines. "Most of my them are right here at De Anza College. There are so many great teachers here. My unofficial mentor was Jim Luotto. I really treasure him," he said. "I have learned so much about the profession from my teaching partners: Bill Spencer, Toni Forsyth, Rowena Matsunari, Jeanne Miller, Marilyn Patton, Lydia Hearn, Julie Sartwell, and from Judy Hubbard, Donna Stasio and Kristin Skager with whom I have worked closely. I also have learned much from Helen Gilotte at San Francisco State, and Jackie Reza and Marion Winters introduced me to Etta Hollins."*

Making sure he's prepared to help his students learn just seems to be a part of his makeup. "His advance preparation for class allows him to devise a line of questioning that prods students on to a more rigorous examination of a piece of writing than they may have ever accomplished previously," Judy said. "He facilitates discovery below the surface of language to the depth and subtlety of its meaning. Throughout the content exercises, he creates an atmosphere marked by humor and encouragement, demonstrating a skill for keeping students on task with gentle guidance."

"I enjoy interacting with students; I constantly learn from them as I teach. I also really enjoy trading methods and trials with colleagues. This makes teaching such a wonderful profession," Ulysses said. "I want students to believe in themselves, to know where to go to find information that they need, to be able to understand that information and form their own ideas and opinions in response to this information."

In a recent self-evaluation, Ulysses said: "A good teacher never stops learning or interacting with colleagues and students, always remembers that there is more to learn, and that regardless of how good you or others think you are, you can always be better." It is evident that Ulysses will never cease his pursuit of pedagogical excellence and it is equally evident that students, colleagues and the community have benefited immensely from his dedication to teaching.

"I was truly surprised and pleased to get the Distinguished Educator Award. I was even more pleased that the vice president of Instruction, along with the dean of Business and Computer Science and the dean of Language Arts, visited and announced the award in one of my classes," he said. "I think that my class was equally impressed. I love teaching and feel privileged to work at De Anza College."

Kim also said this about Ulysses. "When you think of the clarity of his voice, the sound of his laugh and his sense of energy as he teaches students to read – a gift is given not only to each student (and there have been thousands) but also to De Anza. If it is true that De Anza has a reputation for excellence then one must see Ulysses as a significant contributor to that reputation."

As part of being honored with this award, Ulysses was allowed to choose a book from Judy's stack of autographed copies! He chose Anna Quindlen's "Loud and Clear." Bravo, Ulysses.

*Etta Hollins is professor and chair of teacher education at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. She is a well-recognized author, presenter and consultant on teaching diverse populations and teacher development.