Best of SJSU mark

Victoria Johnson’s slogan is “Teach Tolerance.”

By Amanda Holst, Public Affairs Assistant

We recently asked SJSU Facebook fans, all 12,000 of them, to tell us “What is the best class you’ve taken at SJSU?” Congratulations to Victoria Johnson, whose Biology 140 Human Sexuality class was mentioned several times.

Mechanical and aerospace engineering major Kelli Riley was among the respondents on Facebook. She enthusiastically posted, “Human Sexuality with Victoria Johnson is a must!”

Johnson knew she wanted to teach since the first day of first grade. She was asked to pick up the Human Sexuality course 11 years and never regretted the decision.

“I like it because I think it matters,” Johnson said. “I think that all of the stuff that I teach to people is directly relevant to their life, their well-being, and to having a happy and healthy society.”

Graduate advertising student Monir Monfared said Johnson’s Human Sexuality class was “one of those classes that stood out for her” and she remembers Johnson as “approachable and nice.”

She added, “After the class, I felt more comfortable and more open to discuss the issues about sexuality and the problems and advantages around the whole issue.”

This matches the lecturer’s approach, which is “Teach Tolerance.”

“We specifically look at how other cultures handle certain things and then compare them to our own,” she said.

On connecting with her students, Johnson said, “I think getting the feedback and deliberately designing the class to be what the students need and want is why they like it so much.”

Human Sexuality is an elective course that meets the area S general requirement for graduation and focuses on cross-cultural perspectives and modern American sexuality, according to SJSU’s course listing.

Thanks to all who participated in our “Best of Series.”