HELEN CHUNG; Mast Photographer; chunghh@plu.edu
Mast Photographer Helen Chung chatted with Associate Professor of Art and Design Jp Avila about the challenges and importance of teaching.
“So, I would say that after teaching for 14 years, I’ve learned that there are things that I am good at and things that I am not good at. As the technology, curriculum and things that are required for students in the 21st century change, I wonder, ‘Am I still the right person to be teaching? Am I preparing students to lead lives of inquiry and creativity? Or, should I make room for someone else who is more ambitious and creative, or more technologically savvy?’ Recently, I would say in the last five years, this has really been on the forefront of my mind. What I’ve realized is that I may not spend the next 14 years teaching, but I want to spend the next 14 years here. In whatever position and whatever capability that I can. Being a teacher is not just a classroom lecture and office hours—it’s more than that. It is contributing to an organization. It is being an active member in the PLU community. It is doing a variety of different things that are important. I sometimes question if I am the right person to be teaching, but I don’t question if PLU is the right place for me.”
