Name: Happy Ruth Jara

Hometown: Pasig City, Philippines

Program: MAT English Cohort 

Education: Graduating from Brown in May 2025 (B.A. in Education Studies and English)

How have your undergraduate studies, along with your other experiences, inspired you to pursue teaching?

My time at Brown has deepened my passion for education in ways I never expected. When I first arrived, I knew I cared about literature and the power of storytelling, but I didn’t know how to combine this with my passion for teaching. Through my Education Studies courses, I’ve explored how pedagogy and policy intersect, how classrooms can be spaces of liberation, and how students bring so much of their lived experience into their learning.

Outside the classroom, my experiences have solidified my commitment to teaching. Working on the Humanities Reimagined Curriculum Project under the guidance of Professor Laura Snyder showed me how curriculum design can create meaningful and relevant learning experiences for students. Tutoring high schoolers at the Providence Public Library gave me firsthand experience in helping students find confidence in their writing voices. My experiences have shown me that teaching isn’t just about delivering content. It’s about creating a space where students feel seen, valued, and empowered.

What has been a highlight of your experience in the Bacc/MAT program so far?

I've really enjoyed being able to take some of the MAT courses during my senior year. Not only does this lighten my academic load for the MAT year, it also allows me to build a strong foundational relationship with other Bacc/MATs in my cohort.

What or who inspired you to become a teacher?

Growing up in the Philippines as a multicultural bilingual student, I experienced firsthand how education can either empower or alienate. I loved reading, but most of the books I had access to featured white protagonists in Western settings, stories that felt like distant fairy tales rather than something I could see myself in. It wasn’t until I reached high school that my English teachers guided me in reinterpreting Western classics that I truly connected with what I was reading. They helped me see that literature could be both a window into the world and a mirror reflecting my own experiences.

That experience changed everything for me. It made me realize how powerful it is when students can see themselves in their education. I want to be the kind of teacher who helps students find themselves in literature, who creates a space where their voices, cultures, and perspectives matter.

What are you most excited to teach, and why?

Literature! I’m excited to help students explore different ways to tell stories, especially in a way that allows students to see literature as something alive, something that belongs to them. I love Rudine Sims Bishop’s idea that books should be mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. I want my students to see themselves reflected in what they read, to gain insight into different experiences, and to feel empowered to step into new worlds through literature.

I get especially excited when I think about introducing students to authors outside the traditional canon. While classics have their place, I want to bring in voices that are often left out. Moving past just analyzing texts, literature can be used to help students connect with ideas, see the world in new ways, and recognize their own stories as worthy of being told.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I love to make music with friends, read, play RPGs, and take walks around Providence.

What personal or professional resources have been most valuable at Brown?

Brown has given me so many opportunities to grow, not just as a student but as a future educator. My Education Studies and English courses have been foundational in shaping how I think about teaching. Classes like Adolescent Literature and Schools as Sites for Social Welfare have helped me understand how to build inclusive, student-centered classrooms. More than anything, Brown has given me the space to explore, to challenge myself, and to imagine the kind of teacher I want to become.