Faculty Profile: Dr. Mark Seals
One of Dr. Mark Seals' favorite quotes by Haim Ginott tells a great deal about his teaching beliefs:
I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. My personal approach creates the climate. My daily mood makes the weather. As a teacher I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.
Seals' educational interests are in the phenomenon of caring and the role that it plays in the teaching and learning process in and out of the classroom setting. He has given numerous presentations regarding the ethic of care, relationships and teacher effectiveness and how it impacts the "whole student" and his/her academic, social and emotional growth.
Seals, assistant professor of education, teaches introduction to secondary education, secondary principles and general teaching methods, foundations of education and elementary science and social studies methods. He also supervises many of Alma College's student teachers.
Seals completed his doctoral work at Purdue University in secondary education in the areas of curriculum and instruction, and science education. For 12 years in the public schools, he taught biology, advanced biology, integrated science, earth science and physical science. He also coached girls track, drama, boys basketball and football.
