Teacher Feature: Joyce
Joyce is one of those teachers who puts her whole heart into teaching. Her thoughtful, gentle approach instantly puts her students at ease, and has made her a stellar leader for two of Pacific Preparatory’s book clubs this past year.
A parent of a student who signed up for Joyce’s book clubs sent her this note: "I just wanted to thank you for making Book Club so fun. She’s really enjoyed it and has totally gotten into poetry as a result of your time with her. The book choice and theme really resonated, and has opened her to a whole new world."
Joyce’s passion for books and poetry is clearly contagious. Keep reading to learn more about Joyce’s background and how she came to be such an inspiring teacher.
About Joyce
Joyce graduated from Smith College with a B.A. in Psychology and from John F. Kennedy University with a M.A. in Consciousness Studies. Joyce has taught creative writing with California Poets in the Schools, The Oakland Museum, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the Oakland Public Library, La Peña Cultural Center, Smith College, and Saint Mary’s College of California.
She taught English in the Mills College Upward Bound Program for 3 years, and she also served as a writing coach to students working to complete college and scholarship applications. She worked as a specialist in a university writing center for 14 years and has taught critical thinking and information literacy courses at local colleges.
In addition to tutoring and teaching, Joyce also facilitates two Pacific Preparatory after-school book clubs. She has worked with students with learning differences for over 15 years. When she is not tutoring she can be found outdoors walking or hiking, practicing Yoga or Qigong, dancing in her living room, or reading and writing poetry, essays, and fiction. Her poetry collection, entitled How it Happens, was published by Nomadic Press in 2018.
Q & A
When did you start teaching and why?
I was a peer tutor in high school, mostly because I enjoyed helping others understand English and Math. I started teaching online legal and news research in the private sector many years ago when my future manager saw something in me and hired me. Prior to that I had no idea I would end up teaching judges, attorneys, law librarians and others to do legal research.
What’s your favorite subject to teach and why?
My favorite subject to teach is writing. Writing is a part of everything we do and it is integral to reading and critical thinking. There are so many forms that writing can take: poetry, prose, hybrid, essay, email, text, graphic novel, epistolary, etc. And the process of getting words on the page or screen is so interesting to me.
We each have our way of doing this, but the stages we pass through on that journey are the same. Writing is truly a process. We just don’t necessarily pass through those stages in the same way. Take, for example, the step of brainstorming. Some people need to talk things through with another person or record themselves talking, others need to jot their ideas down in the form of a list, others use graphic images, some of us are attached to using outlines.
What works for one writer doesn’t necessarily work for another and one way is not better than another. I really enjoy helping each student discover what works best for them, and watching them apply it to their writing. Once they are able to do that, they are on their way. It’s like the “lift-off” in space travel.
What do you enjoy most about teaching with Pacific Preparatory?
I enjoy being able to tailor my lessons to each student. In the process of doing so, I am able to take the whole student into account. I can get to know my students in a way that is not possible in a classroom of 20+ students. I work to develop assignments that not only interest them, but help them to grow academically and as human beings. Social-emotional learning is valued by Pacific Preparatory, and I’m glad that it is.
What are your top 3 book recommendations in your subject area?
It’s so hard to recommend just 3 books, because I love to read and have so many favorites! I often go back to read sections of Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, in particular her humorous and practical chapter on approaching writing one step at a time titled “Short Assignments.” I use Old Friend From Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir by Natalie Goldberg for its great writing prompts. And I was deeply moved when I read Memorial Drive, by Natasha Trethewey, one of our former U. S. Poet Laureates, which is a beautiful memoir in honor of her relationship with her mother.
What is your favorite activity to do outside of teaching?
I love to walk in my neighborhood and the surrounding ones and hike in my favorite local park, Tilden Regional Park. I also love to walk along the San Francisco Bay Trail. We are so lucky to have such an expanse of nature around us in the San Francisco Bay Area. I love to take photos, and I do so while I’m walking; my photos chronicle my walks.
From us:
We’re so appreciative of Joyce’s continued patience and her endless drive to keep her students engaged and spark their love of learning. Thank you, Joyce!