With a new year comes a set of unique challenges, and adjusting to JP Stevens’s culture can take a lot of effort. Returning to JP this year is Ms. Tunhi Pham, an English teacher. 

Ms. Pham initially planned a career in marketing but decided to transition into becoming a teacher once her children were born. She enjoys teaching as it helps her maintain a healthy work-life balance, something she encourages her students to establish in their careers. 

English was her favorite subject in school, inspiring her to earn a bachelor’s degree in English from Rutgers University-New Brunswick and a master’s degree in English Writing from Kean University. Before returning to JP, Ms. Pham had also taught at Edison High School and Elizabeth High School. When she taught here earlier, she was Secretary of the Orchestra Parent Organization and the Tailgate Coordinator for the soccer team, and she looks forward to possibly being a club advisor again.

“It feels great to return to JP: my students are cooperative, the administrators are supportive, and the teachers are congenial,” Ms. Pham said, grateful for the community and support she has found here.

As the self-proclaimed shortest teacher in the school, Ms. Pham tells her students that she loves to grow and continues to learn along with her students. As her English classes focus on perspective and analysis, it is important to her that she encourages each student to find their own viewpoint on pieces of literature and beyond.

“I am a strong believer in student voice and student choice,” she said when asked how she would encourage her students to develop these skills. “I hope to encourage all my students to find their voices through class discussions.”

By prioritizing building relationships with her students, Ms. Pham works to discover their interests and supports her students at events even outside school. For her, the most enjoyable part of teaching is building a rapport with students.

Outside of school, Ms. Pham makes sure to take care of herself by eating healthy, drinking lots of water and tea, and keeping a constant exercise regimen. Some of her hobbies include taking long walks on the beach to help clear her mind, reading every night, and doing yoga on the weekends.

Ms. Pham looks forward to creating new relationships and friendships as she encourages her students to be the best they can be, spreading her bright personality and contagious smile to everyone she meets at JP.