Margaret Colleen Rost-Banik

Sociology

A faculty member in the Department of Sociology at UH Mānoa, Professor Colleen Rost-Banik astutely characterizes classrooms “as a microcosm of society” considering the diverse “backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives” everyone brings in the space. She also concludes that “but throughout the semester, we have an amazing opportunity to learn from one another and experiment together.” Prof. Rost-Banik highlights the importance of practice in learning sociological concepts through reading, writing, and thinking. She knows that “learning and understanding material require rehearsal—time, effort, patience, mistakes, and breakthroughs.” In addition to practice, her explicit emphasis on “the values of care and collectivity” in her courses is meant for “making certain that everyone is supported” which she notes to be “vital for societal functioning” and “critical for classroom functioning.” Student comments indicate that Prof. Rost-Banik offers a rich learning environment “filled with lots of exciting information on different theorist and sociological perspectives” while equipping students with fundamental skills in the field such as how to conduct a survey and analyzing visual information. Prof. Rost-Banik deserves all the praise as she actively practices her disciplinary knowledge in the classroom.