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Name: Sarah Peterson-Guada  

Picture
Position: Psychology Faculty
School/Location: Alameda
Phone: (510) 748-2269
E-mail: speterson@peralta.edu
Office/Classroom:  C106

Introduction

Sarah Peterson-Guada is a full-time psychology instructor and the Chair of the psychology department at College of Alameda. Her intention with teaching is to provide a space for people to apply psychological tools and knowledge to themselves in hopes of increasing personal awareness to empower themselves and better their personal and professional lives.

She uses the framework of mindfulness in her psychology classes to help students learn to become more present and fulfilled. She teaches effective communication techniques in each class because she believes that relationships are more fulfilling if people’s needs are met: including the self-awareness of what one feels, the courage to speak one’s truth in a kind and direct way to increase the likelihood of the individal’s needs being met instead of acting out in unhealthy ways to get her/his needs met unconsciously. She takes a client-centered approach to her teaching where active listening, reflections, and empathy are practiced. She also helps students bring awareness to their internal dialogue in order to be able to shift their thoughts to healthier, more supportive ones, as well as helps students make connections between their past and present — each classroom activity, lecture and course project is designed for students to gain a deeper awareness about themselves to experience greater emotional and psychological freedom in their own lives and then be of greater service to their communities and world.

Likewise, Ms. Peterson-Guada prizes cultural diversity and inclusion, including and not limited to: ethnicity/race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, socio-economic and age. From her lived experience, she understands what it feels like to be “othered” and welcomes people of all backgrounds where their lived experiences are welcomed in the classroom to process, heal from, and increase awareness around.

She aims to create a nurturing, welcoming, safe, and fun environment where profound learning occurs.

In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her three children, dancing, traveling with her family, walking in nature, and cooking healthy, nutrient-dense foods.

 

Click on the course name below to view the course materials, outlines, objectives, key concepts  and handouts for Sarah Peterson-Guada’s sections:

Use the links below to access course materials for Sarah Peterson-Guada’s section of Psychology 1B:

Syllabus

Study Guides

Assignments

Handouts

Power Points

Rubrics

Writing Center Form

Resources

  • A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
  • The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
  • Understanding Yourself and the Others in Your Life by Helen Palmer
  • The Enneagram in Love and Work: Understanding Your Intimate and Business Relationships
  • The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types by Don Riso and and Russ Hudson
  • The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer
  • Super Brain: Unleashing the Explosive Power of Your Mind to Maximize Health, Happiness, and Spiritual Well-Being by Deepak Chopra and Rudolph Tanzi
  • https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/01/rethinking-one-of-psychologys-most-infamous-experiments/384913/

Use the links below to access course materials for Sarah Peterson-Guada’s section of Psychology 12:

  • Psych 12 Syllabus Spring ’15wavet025
  • Assignments
  • Grading Rubrics
  • PowerPoint Presentations
  • Study Guides
  • Resources
    • Chapter 1 – Perspectives on Sexuality
    • Chapter 2 – Sex Research: Methods and Problems
    • Chapter 3 – Gender Issues
    • Chapter 4 – Female Sexual Anatomy and Physiology
      • Books
        • LoPiccolo, J. (  ).  Becoming orgasmic: a sexual and personal growth program for women.
        • Northrup, C. (1994). Women’s bodies, women’s wisdom. Bantam Books: New York, NY.
    • Chapter 5 – Male Sexual Anatomy and Physiology
      • Zilbergeld, B. (1999).  The new male sexuality: the truth about men, sex, and pleasure. %sC/em>Bantam Books: New York, NY.
    • Chapter 6 – Sexual Arousal and Response
      • Bodansky, V. & S. (2000). Extended Massive Orgasm: how you can give and receive intense sexual pleasure.Hunter House, Inc.: Alameda, CA.
    • Chapter 7 – Love, Attraction, Attachment, and Intimate Relationships
      • Books
        • Gilligan, C. (2003). The birth of pleasure: a new map of love. Vintage Books: New York, NY.
        • Schnarch, D. (1997). Passionate marriage: love, sex, and intimacy in emotionally committed relationships.Henry Holt and Company, LLC: New York, NY.
        • Thomashauer, R. (2003). Mama Gena’s owner’s and operator’s guide to men. Simon & Schuster: New York, NY.
    • Chapter 8 – Communication in Sexual
      • Books
        • Ellison, S. (2002). Taking the war out of our words. Bay Tree Publishing: Berkeley, CA.
    • Chapter 9 – Sexual Behaviors
      • Books
        • Bodansky, V. & S. (2006). To bed or not to bed: what men want, what women want, how great sex happens.Hunter House, Inc.: Alameda, CA.
        • Iam, M. (2003). Sex and the perfect lover: tao, tantra, and the kama sutra. Atria Books: New York, NY.
    • Chapter 10 – Sexual Orientations
      • Websites
        • The Lighthouse Community Center: www.lgbtlighthouse.com
        • The Lighthouse Community Center is committed to becoming the beacon of light for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Questioning people in Southern Alameda County and strives to become a catalyst for building community that bridges divisions, provides saftey, and creates hope.
        • Community United Against Violence: https://www.cuav.org/index.php
    • Chapter 11 – Contraception
    • Chapter 12 – Conceiving Children: Process and Choice
      • Books
        • England, P. & Horowitz, R. (1998). Birthing from within. Partera Press: New Mexico.
        • Iovine, K.  Girlfriends� guide to pregnancy
        • Kitzinger, S. (1990). The complete book of pregnancy and childbirth. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.: New York, NY.
        • Murkoff, J., Eisenberg, A., & Hathaway, S. (2002). What to expect when you�re expecting. Workman Publishing: New York, NY.
        • Small, M. (1998). Our babies ourselves. Anchor Books: New York, NY.
        • Wexchler, T. (2002).  Taking charge of your fertility. HarperCollings Publishers: New York, NY.
        • Worthington-Roberts, B. & Willians, S. (1997). Nutrition in pregnancy and lactation (6th ed..) Brown & Benchmark Publishers: Iowa.
    • Chapter 15 – Nature and Origin of Sexual Difficulties
    • Chapter 16 – Sex Therapy and Sexual Enhancement
      • Books
        • Schnarch, D. (2002). Resurrecting sex: solving sexual problems & revolutionizing your relationship.HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.: New York, NY.
        • Zilbergeld, B. (1999).  The new male sexuality: the truth about men, sex, and pleasure. Bantam Books: New York, NY.
    • Chapter 17 – Sexually Transmitted Diseases
      • Books
        • Hay. L, (1984). You can heal your body. Hay House: Carlsbad, CA.
    • Chapter 19 – Sexual Coercion

 

Use the links below to access course materials for Sarah Peterson-Guada’s section of Psychology 18:sym502

Name: Bishop Scott  

instructor profile picture
Title: Psychology Instructor
School/Location: Alameda
Phone: (510) 748-2287
E-mail: btscott@peralta.edu
Office/Classroom:

Introduction:

I was born in Arkansas in 1945, but lived my growing years in Sacramento, CA. My mother and father were both school teachers in Arkansas; four of their five children have followed careers in education. I have been married for the past 25 years to a Mexican woman, Maria. Our 21 year old son, Ahkin, graduated from Contra Costa College with an AA degree in Spanish and received his commercial pilot license from ATP Flight School in Sacramento. He is now working as a pilot for Ameriflight, a freight airline which flies out of Oakland Airport. The language of our home is Spanish.

Post-High School Education:
Sacramento City College, AA degree in General Curriculum, 1965
San Francisco State University, BA degree in Psychology, 1967
University of Erlangen, Germany, Basic German, 1968-69
Cal State East Bay (Hayward), MS degree in Counseling, 1978
Sonoma State University, Advanced studies in Psychology, 1979-81
University of Durango, Mexico, Advanced studies in Spanish, 1979-84

Employment:

Peralta Community College Dist. 1970-present
In the Peralta Dist., I started working as the director of a federally funded community outreach center run by Laney College. After the government funding ended, I worked as a veterans’ counselor, a counselor for the Women’s Re-entry Program, and also teaching psychology classes. Later I worked as a counselor for CETA which Laney College hosted. I was assigned to College of Alameda in 1982 where I have been teaching a variety of psychology classes, African American history, basic skills, and Tai Chi Chuan.

University of Durango, Mexico 1981-82
In 1981, I took a year leave of absence to teach beginning English at the University of Durango in Mexico.

Colegio Americano de Durango, Mex. 1981-82
During my year in Mexico, I also taught English and basic science to 5th and 6th graders.

US Army March 1967-December 1969
In the Army I worked for 18 months as a “Social Work/Psychology Specialist” for the Mental Hygiene Consultation Service in Furth, Germany. My job was to counsel servicemen with emotional problems and make recommendations to the psychiatrist and social work officer who would direct the methods of treatment.

Interests:
Reading (Current book: The Road Less Travelled, by M. Scott Peck, M. D.)
Martial arts (Black belt in Kajukenbo 1999, practitioner of Tai Chi Chuan since 1976)
Bike riding (I have ridden from the Bay Area to Sacramento once every ten years since 1966)

Recognition:
I have been listed in the 7th, 8th, 9th, & 10th editions of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.

Click on the course name below to view the course materials for the instructor’s sections:

Psychology 18 “Psychology of Minority Groups”

Class photo

 

Use the link below to access course materials:

  • Personal Report
    Family photoby Bishop ScottIn July of 1945 as the Second World War was coming to an end, I entered this world in the small southern town of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I was reared on the West Coast (Sacramento, California) as the age of segregation was being confronted. My Arkansas roots give me a keen sense of family and community among fellow African Americans. My California upbringing has taught me the importance of a sense of community and family among all peoples.My parents, Benjamin Scott and Ezetta Middleton, met when they were students at Arkansas A.M.& N. College (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff). My mother became a home economics teacher and my father a math teacher. Of the five children they reared, four of us have pursued careers in education. My parents also influenced us by their active participation in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. My mother and father were Sunday school teachers, and my father was also active in the administration of the church. As a youth, I held positions in the church as usher, pianist for the youth choir, altar boy, and president of the high school youth group.In 1950, at the age of five, I started kindergarten at Bell Avenue Elementary School in Del Paso Heights, a suburb of Sacramento. I can remember being an outgoing child, eager to make friends. However, unfriendly glances, negative comments, racial epithets, and other pressures from being the only Negro in my class eventually had an influence on my becoming less outgoing. In reality, the entire student population consisted of no more than four or five Negroes. Still a friendly kid, nevertheless, I always tried to make friends and fit in to social situations.Keeping the positive identity of myself that my parents helped instill in me was a struggle, and sometimes a losing battle, as I learned to live in a culture of White supremacy. My older sister, Glennis, and my neighbor, Klint Massey were invaluable resources for me. They taught me how to defend myself against verbal attacks, how to be cool, and other basics of surviving in a hostile environment. Richard Foy, a White kid in the neighborhood, about six years older than I, taught me the basics of blocking and punching which gave me more confidence in my ability to physically defend myself. With their help, I survived elementary school.Jr. high school was an experience that helped me to identify more with my Blackness and to feel more a part of my Black peer group. The Jr. high school I attended, Del Paso Jr. High, was about thirty percent Black in those years (1957-1960), and to me it was a refuge from the many years of being the “only Black.” I began participating in sports (track and football) and I learned about that fascinating game, “the dozens.” The dozens is a game that young Black men play by insulting each other or members of each other’s family. The objective is to not lose your cool, to keep smiling, and, if possible, to score with an equally insulting comeback line.The next big change in my identity came when I enrolled in San Francisco State in 1965. Those were the years of the “freedom rides,” “love and peace,” the Vietnam War, Black power, and “Black is Beautiful.” We Negroes and coloreds became Black men and women. Our close cropped or processed hair was allowed to grow in its natural state and was fluffed into “afro” hairstyles of various lengths. We donned African style clothing and called each other brothers and sisters. I developed a strong identity with and affection for, Africans and African descendants around the world. I also came to the realization that, although I didn’t live in the ghetto, and my family wasn’t dirt poor, I was still subject to the whims of a racist society, and I had much in common with Blacks from all walks of life.As an adult, I have internalized values that enforce a respect for all humankind. I believe that “race” is a social construction and only has meaning because we still believe it is a reality. I am descended from African, European, and Native American ancestors. I call myself Black, or African American, because I was taught to identify with this group. In 1983 I married a marvelous woman who was born in Mexico and speaks Spanish as her native language. She also has African, European, and Native American ancestry, although she didn’t learn to see herself as a member of the Black race. We have a son who was born in 1987, and we consider ourselves a Black family because we are dark skinned people. Our son is thoroughly multicultural. He learned Standard English and Spanish from birth, and he is rapidly picking up Ebonics. We are trying to immerse him in the culture of both of his parents.I try hard to have a fresh outlook on humankind and to not let the myth of race limit my interactions with my fellow human beings.
  • Recommended Reading
    BOOKS:Jawanza KunjufuTo Be Popular or SmartMotivating and Preparing Black Youth to WorkDeveloping Positive Self Images & Discipline in Black ChildrenConspiracy to Destroy Black Boys V. I, II, & IIIGuthrieEven the Rat Was WhiteKitano & DanielsAsian Americans: Emerging MinoritiesHoustonFarewell to ManzanarFanonWretched of the Earth

    Black Skin White Masks

    Rogers, J. A.

    Sex and Race V. I, II, & III

    As Nature Leads

    From Superman to Man

    Jacobs

    To Serve the Devil V. I & II

    Yette

    The Choice

    Rodriguez, R.

    Hunger of Memory

    Takaki, R.

    Strangers from a Different Shore

    Iron Cages

    Steele, Shelby

    The Content of Our Character

    Welsing

    Isis Papers

    Matthiessen

    In the Spirit of Crazy Horse

    Brown

    Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

    Mario Barrera

    Race & Class in the Southwest

    Octavio Paz

    The Labyrinth of Solitude

    Carlos Larralde

    Mexican-American: Movements and Leaders

  • Syllabus & Materials

 

This course is designed to explore the concept of race in American society

and compare and contrast it to culture, ethnicity, and nationality. We also explore the effects these concepts have on people’s behavior and mental processes. Subordinate/dominant interactions of groups are likewise explored.

The course explores the history and processes of the interaction, reactions, and counter reactions of Native Americans, Africans, Europeans, and Asians in the United States and other parts of the American continent. Specific emphasis is given to the period since 1865. However, we also investigate theories on the arrival of indigenous “Americans” from Asia and Africa and the creation of the Hispanic/Latino “race” and culture, La Raza, since 1492.

Comparative and integrative approach: Native American philosophy, life styles, and competition with European immigrants are outlined. African American recovery from slavery, attempts at inclusion in American society, and struggles for identity are explored. Hispanic/Latino/Chicano philosophies, conflicts with Anglos, and struggles for identity and unity are emphasized. Asian contact with American culture and the resulting problems with stereotypes, exclusion, discrimination, and idealization are examined. Anglo-Saxon/Aryan interests in America’s notion of progress, concepts of race, and philosophy of supremacy are analyzed. Other European ethnic groups’ (Italians, Jews, Poles, Irish, etc.) experiences are also explored as they relate to identity and the struggle for inclusion into American Society. All students are placed into one of several small groups. The purpose of this is to allow students from varying ethnic backgrounds to research, organize, and present a unit of the text to the class as a combined effort. The purpose of these small groups is twofold. First, by assigning interdependent tasks to each group member, cooperation will develop as the final product is being produced. Secondly, by mixing students from varying ethnicities in the same group, it is hoped that a greater understanding of people will be achieved, and stereotypes will have less of an influence.

Another assignment is a “personal report”. Students are instructed to discuss their racial and ethnic origins, religious affiliations and practices languages spoken at home, experiences with stereotyping and discrimination, and sense of identity as an American citizen or resident. Students are encouraged to give this report orally to allow discussion from the class. Exceptionally well written reports are read to the class anonymously with permission from the author. Students are required to read a book related to ethnic relations (see attached reading list). They are either tested on the book or allowed to write a book review. This semester (Spring 1999) all students are assigned People: Psychology from a Cultural Perspective by David Matsumoto and were given an essay test to demonstrate their understanding of the book. A final assignment is to write aresearch paper to express the students’ view of reasons for certain relational phenomena within or among certain minority groups (e.g.: White supremacy is a result of…; Black on Black crime is prevalent because…; interracial marriages are a bad/good idea because…; rise in minority suicides is due to…; etc.)

Teaching is my passion. I wish in my students to re-kindle in their hearts their authentic voices (as some of our voices may have been silenced or dimmed through conditioning). That to me is my purpose for teaching, and maybe even why I have been brought here.

Like so many people we carry with us so many burdens and scars in our hearts that may make our moments on this planet at times unbearable or grief-stricken. Like one of my students once told me, “Happiness is a stranger and so unidentifiable, but Grief is family.” There is so much value and integrity when you are able to connect with another grief stricken heart, I feel that there is depth and beauty in that. Because I have been to that place, I am able to at times recognize it in the eyes of another and my soul can’t help but reach out and help.  I feel that is where my courses become a source of comfort in the hearts of not just some of my students, but myself.

My purpose of teaching is to make my students feel better about who they are. To instill in them confidence and trust in their hearts. To empower them to take lightly the conditions of worth placed upon them by the world and to uncover within them what already resides and that is their unique wisdom and beauty. My students learn about the various concepts in psychology while making powerful connections to one another and healing through it. Some learning takes place subliminally but the knowledge learned is retained for a long time. My courses are special in that they give my students a platform where they can truly express themselves in an academic setting. Many of my students finish the course successfully and some continue to communicate with me months after the course is over. I love hearing stories of their lives outside of COA as some have transferred to four year universities or started careers of their own.

I understand that not everyone views the world in a similar fashion due to various factors. We have in our brains more neural connections then they are known atoms in the entire universe. Given the magnitude and complexity of such a brilliant system between our ears, how sad it is that our educational system categorize and stigmatize some forms of intelligence or brilliance. I take pride that my classes are diverse and cater to the diverse learner in a multitude of ways. For example, I offer varied lessons, as well as varied assignments so that each student, whether they are visually oriented or interpersonally oriented has an opportunity to showcase their strength and shine.

On my free time, I play with my 7 month old daughter and read her books about dragons and mermaids.  I want to instill in her Rumi’s voice, as he once said “Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.”