CHAPARRAL

One of this year's new tenure-track instructors, Chris Juzwiak, joins the English Division. He is ABD in Comparative Literature at UCLA, and brings to Glendale College a diverse set of experiences and knowledge. He is fluent in French and Italian, having lived in France for two years, and he studied in Milan on three one-year fellowships. He brings to his developmental English classes a love for languages; a sympathy for multi-linguistic people engendered by his self-described "rebirth" in his two more recently acquired languages; and a general fascination with human diversity. His outgoing, supportive personality has already won him the nickname of "Mr. J" among his students—a moniker that fits his highly engaging and fun nature.

This past summer, Chris took the initiative to learn to use WebCT for his English 191 classes. After many hours of preparation, Chris has the system up and running in the classroom, and his students immerse themselves into true communities of learning, beginning with a class picture on the web site. In those pictures, students already show their pride and ownership as members of Mr. J's classes. Each class session involves interactive drills and instruction in fundamentals of writing using WebCT technology in the classroom; collaborative learning activities both in the classroom and online via e-mail and class-dedicated chat rooms; and publication of students' best writing in an online anthology at the end of the semester. The classes' web pages are attractive and impressive clearinghouses of information linked to such organizations as Greenpeace and issues such as energy conservation. In addition, all course syllabi, assignments, and other important information are available via the web. Of course, Mr. J. himself offers his unusually attentive listening ability to students who come to see him in his office in SF 120E.

Through his efforts, Chris hopes to serve his students "in an extraordinary way," by offering "important life-growth experiences" in his classes. His pedagogical creed emphasizes "humility as a teacher," and the development of a "trusting rapport with students." These foster a learning environment of safe creativity rather than one of threats, which he says "compromises students' abilities." He seeks to "create a new world" behind the door of the classroom, making learning "as fun as possible." The foundation of this approach is Chris' strong belief that "thinking is play," and that learning is exciting for anyone. He advises his students, "don't just write; be a writer," and explains the two main benefits of writing: the essential thinking and communication skills it develops, and the personal "transformational" qualities it offers to the student writer. Mr. J. loves to see the students develop these abilities and enhance their "relationships with the language," which he characterizes as "a beautiful experience," one which students can recognize as one akin to "falling in love." He views the linguistic diversity at GCC as a challenge for students to convert from a struggle to an asset. That transformation, Chris adds, represents a metaphor as "a powerful window to reality," again drawing from his own experiences as a second- and third-language learner himself.