Frances Kurilich

Professor

“I’d rather help someone in need than work with students who have no problems whatsoever.”

Frances Kurilich has worked as a classified employee and as a teacher since arriving at SMC in 1972. “So I guess I’ve seen all phases of the operations on campus,” she says. Her current assignment is teaching students who are having problems with their basic language skills.

“Working with adults in remedial English who are having problems can be a very sensitive issue,” she says. “The odds are stacked against most of my students. They don’t have time to waste and they’re often at a point where it’s difficult to focus. The classroom is a very special place,” she continues. “And I like dealing with people from all different levels and phases of life who are having those same sorts of problems. I feel better myself,” she adds, “when I can get a student to improve and feel better about their own skill levels and accomplishments.”

“I’ve learned so much about education and the mind from working with students who are a challenge to teach,” says Frances. “You get a real insight into the overall complexity of learning and thinking processes in general.”

Frances will soon be taking a sabbatical to study how remedial English is taught in other schools across the country. “There’s always a lot of support at SMC to learn all you can about your field,” she says. “A person with a desire to learn, or a bright idea, will never be turned away here.”

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