Hudson-Raila provides advice, education and words of wisdom for TJ students.
Photo by Mia Nogueira
English Teacher Jacque Hudson-Raila provides skills and advice needed for the classroom and for life, describing what to do and what not to do before students get “old and wrinkly.”
For Raila, the journey leading to teaching was not a straight shot; she had many interests resulting in many changes in her career path. From art, to pre-med, to theatre, Raila is no stranger to plan changes. “When I went into college I was an art major, and then I dropped out of that major…eventually I went back to night school and I became a med tech. So I went into nursing; but by the time I stepped into a hospital I realized I hate sick people! Mainly because there’s nothing I can do to make them feel better,” she said.
After not being able to decide whether or not the medical field was really for her, Raila started to rethink her career path. “It was the 80s crash, and a lot of businesses lost a lot of money, so I sat around and collected unemployment for awhile and then I said, ‘Gee, all these people have better jobs than I do because they have college degrees, guess I’d better finish that.’ There was a big shortage of teachers, so I went back, got my teaching degree and didn’t know if I was going to go into English or Science. I picked English, and I figured the worst thing that could happen was I hated it and I’d go be an administrative assistant or something like that, but that didn’t happen.”
For Raila, it was a tough choice between the fields of English and Science. “If I had to say which class I enjoyed the most, it was science class. I enjoyed art and was good at it, but the class that I looked forward to going to was my science. I did not take Biology or Chemistry like everyone is told to, I took earth science, physical science and geology; I liked rocks!”
After years of deliberation Raila decided that English was the right choice for her. “My love is of the English classroom. I went into English because I enjoy reading and writing; they didn’t scare me because I didn’t know it was supposed to be scary. I enjoy introducing students to literature that they would not necessarily find on their own. I enjoy having students struggle with writing and then improve by the end of the year.”
Raila is more than just an asset academically; she is always there to provide some helpful advice to her students. “Everybody thinks that they have to be an A student. I have to tell you, C’s are average. You need to struggle; you need to understand that C’s are okay. I was a C student in high school. When I got to college I went, ‘Oh! This is kind of cool!’ and I got on the dean’s list. then I got a C in one of my classes. And I lived, and I survived and I’m still doing fine. A’s are unrealistic. It’s not about the grades, it’s about the learning and the enlightenment. Appreciate the grade you earn, because the grade reflects exactly how much effort you put into it. Not everybody is an A+ student, and nobody is an A+ student at everything.”
Senior Stephanie Acree took Freshman Lit from Raila and has now returned to Room 235 to take Senior Lit, as well. “It’s the way she jokes around with students; her personality is so fun!” explains Acree. “And her style of teaching makes class fun. She makes it so you actually want to go to her class and, for seniors, that’s not always easy.”
Raila’s senior class is structured but still allows for freedom. “I try to mimic what a real college entry class would be, so it’s lecture, it’s work day, it’s revision, it’s the process of writing, it’s a little bit of everything. And on Friday it’s all due, so no homework on the weekend if you’ve done all your work!” she said.
No weekend homework and more in-class time for work is appreciated by the students.
Senior Alex Carter is a first time student of Raila but was quick to mention the pros of taking her class. “I like that she gives us a lot of freedom. She’s also vocal and easy to talk to, so she is sure to make it clear to everyone in class,” he said
Raila has also been described as a friend to the freshmen; she knows that the adjustment to high school is a difficult one and she tries to make it easier on them. “Freshmen come from a place that is not high school. Even though they are told by the middle school teachers that they are getting ready for high school, they [middle school teachers] need to talk to some of the freshmen. Nobody tells them that if they fail a class they can’t play sports or continue in the same grade. High school is a big difference; it takes a lot more time to get in the swing of things so it’s a little bit more work to get freshmen on the right path.”
Not only does Raila teach Honors Freshman Literature and Composition and Senior Literature, she also is an advocate for the girls’ golf team. “I support Mr. Smith and his efforts, and I encourage girls because I don’t think they understand the opportunity that is out there for scholarships. You don’t even have to be the best of the boys’ players, you just have to be average and show improvement. And there’s a lot of money out there for girls’ golf, and I think that’s important,” Raila explains. “Also if girls really are on the path of business and want to be successful, golf really is a social, business thing to do. It’s better to learn now and be able to golf a decent game by the time you’re 20.” Raila explains why she first got started in golf. “I started playing golf because my mom broke her hip and I wanted her to be more active so I figured if I started golf then she would start to play again. And I stayed in golf after that because I can buy cute things for golf! It’s all about the accessories!”
Jacque Raila is not only a helpful source for academics, she also has many lesson plans on life that she shares with her students. “Don’t be afraid of change. Everybody wants to go to school to end up being one thing or another, but once you get there the world opens and it is like, ‘Wow! This is so cool!’ There’s nothing wrong with doing it all,” she says.
