“Our students are very focused and hardworking,” says Joan Grupka of her experience teaching at Moraine Valley’s Education Center at Blue Island. “It is an honor and a joy to teach here.”

Grupka earned an associate degree from Moraine Valley in 1983 and returned to teach, where she has taught developmental writing courses for the past nine years.

Grupka earned an associate degree from Moraine Valley in 1983.

Grupka earned an associate degree from Moraine Valley in 1983.

She says the best part of her job is when students who have struggled with writing in the past come to enjoy it.

“One student told me ‘I plan to become a writer now’,” she says.

To help students gain confidence and lifelong writing skills, she tries to make the learning process fun. She incorporates activities such as using music to present transition words, charades to teach word definitions and YouTube to introduce lessons. She also likes to give her students the opportunity to choose writing topics.

“They’re more invested if they have a choice,” Grupka says.

Grupka has a true “family connection” to Moraine Valley. She met her husband Jim when she was a student at the college. Later, two of her daughters attended Moraine Valley. And teaching at the Education Center at Blue Island is like coming home for her because she grew up in Blue Island.

Many of her students live nearby.

“It’s great they have so many resources right in their neighborhood,” she says. “The center has everything they need such as computers, small classes, solid instruction. And everyone who works here does whatever it takes to help students get the best learning experience possible. Their success is our success.”