Team Benner/Lalli

Courses on this page are team-taught by Marcia Benner and Judy Lalli.

Team Benner/Lalli Bio

Marcia Benner and Judy Lalli have been friends since they met at Playcrafters, their community theater group, in the late 1970’s. In 1985, while Marcia was in Kenya visiting her brother in the Peace Corps, Judy heard about some wonderful courses being taught through a company called Performance Learning Systems.

Jim Botti, Judy’s friend and a PLS instructor, encouraged her to pursue becoming an instructor, and when Marcia returned from Kenya, Judy urged her to apply as well.

The rest is history. Performance Learning Systems at the time insisted that they train as a team, to prevent competition, since they lived in the same geographical area – actually the same development!

Marcia and Judy trained in TEACH and PRIDE with Diana Ramsey, who invited them to the annual instructor meeting. Soon after, they trained in LEARNING CHANNELS, KEYS TO MOTIVATION AND IDEAS.

Although they had never team taught during their day jobs, the teaming for PLS courses worked beautifully. They both attended every class and marked every piece of homework together during the first few years. Currently, they take turns, only teaching together on the first day of class.

Marcia and Judy share similar philosophies of teaching and ways of approaching the courses, so it is very easy for them to take turns and pick up where the other leaves off. Having a partner is invaluable for feedforward and coaching, as well as for those rare occasions over their 20 year partnership when either one has experienced a family emergency.

Participants’ evaluations have consistently focused on the professionalism, humor, and “modeling of the model” of this instructor team.

Fellow PLS instructors have enjoyed their original song parodies that they have performed for many years at annual instructor meetings.

In their non-PLS lives, Marcia teaches second grade and raises three children along with her husband Karl, a graphic designer. Judy teaches second grade and writes children’s books. Her husband Tony is a teacher as well. Judy and Marcia are both members of a monthly book club, and they are still best friends.

Additional Courses

Click links below to view detailed bios and courses Judy and Marcia are teaching individually.

Marcia Benner  
Judy Lalli