Marc Ankerman is a Senior Lecturer in the Fisher College of Business. He teaches MHR 2292 Business for thousands of students, MBA 6281 Professional Communication for 200 students, and MBA 7629 Advanced Comm Skills for 200 students.
Marc received the Provost’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Lecturer in 2013 and has served as a member of the Academy of Teaching’s Executive Council since then.
What’s the best advice about teaching you’ve ever received?
Passion. It is all about getting the message across, but if you do not believe it, they never will.
What book or article has shaped your work as a teacher?
Everything you ever wanted to know or need to learn you learned in Kindergarten. An old book, that tells it like it is in that you have to be nice and remember the golden rule in all you do.
What is your teaching philosophy in 8 words or fewer?
Learn them better and have fun doing it!
Tell us about one of your favorite and most effective in-class activities or assignments. How do your students react?
Impromptus. I ask students, “Can you ever be prepared for an impromptu?” What we typically get is a “no” response. I proceed to make them do an impromptu answer to a question or a scenario. After the presentation, I ask the question again. Well, now they are thinking in a totally different way. And YES, you can be prepared. I then am able to work with their attention and focus (as well as concern that they may be chosen next) for a quick impromptu. They love it and hate it at the same time!
What tools or opportunities have you found most useful as you have developed your teaching?
In my background SHRM has a good number of tools and techniques which we often share with one another. We also use the opportunity in sessions to listen and learn from others who are doing similar sessions with our groups. I do a great deal of coaching, both one on one, and in case competition teams. This is a great opportunity to challenge students and learn from their push-backs on process and procedure for presentation style and acumen.
What is something your students would be surprised to learn about you?
I tend to tell a good number of stories and often say, “You will probably learn way more about me than you ever wanted to,” so this is a tough question. I am an avid musician and have played the drums since the age of three. I also was an on-air disk jockey at WRIF-FM in Detroit in the beginning of my career.