An Interview with Jennifer Hedges

Jennifer Hedges is a second-year graduate student at Radford University. She is studying English and is a Graduate Teaching Fellow working for the English department. We recently had a chance to sit down for an interview with Jennifer where we discussed a bit about her background as well as her teaching philosophy and the classrooms she tries to cultivate.

Jennifer spends most of her time at home with her daughter and her two cats. She enjoys playing video games and watching movies. Jennifer attended Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg, Virginia where she received her associate’s degree before going to Randolph College where she received her bachelor’s degree.

Jennifer says that she tries to set her CORE classes apart by incorporating group work and incorporating less-traditional texts. “I think group work is really important and I’m not really sure about how the other CORE classes are because I haven’t experienced anything other than this connection class. I know my colleagues are doing a lot more literature-based works and one colleague is doing graphic novels which I actually do later in the semester.”

Jennifer said that her teaching style is very in-line with her parenting style. “They’re far away from their parents usually, so I will kind of be that surrogate figure in their lives. Get your stuff together, do your homework, I am going to badger you because this is important. If you don’t do your work, I’m not going to be angry. I’m just disappointed. You know, that whole concept [laughs].”

Jennifer finished by giving a bit of encouragement to her students and her colleagues. “It’s hard and it sucks and you’re going to lose sleep but as long as you do what you tell your students to do, you’re going to do it. Sometimes you’ll get behind, but also, like, go to the movies, go see the game, go to the bar with a friend, do the fun things as well.”