Departing Faculty Describe Their Fondest Riverdale Memories

Riverdale Review: What is your role in the Riverdale community?

Jo-Jo Feng: I’m a computer science teacher– mostly in the upper school, I teach sixth-grade foundations for learning class, and I am one of the co-advisors for AAA- the affinity group for Asian American students.

RR: What is your favorite class that you have taught and why?

JF: I really like the science research class that I am teaching right now this year because it’s interdisciplinary and I have a background in… science research and… in computer science, so it’s a perfect marriage of the two things that I like…The kids are independently working on things that they’re excited about and I feel like that’s kind of my favorite part of the job. I don’t really like lecturing and I don’t really like traditional lessons, I prefer working with kids on things that they’re really excited about and that’s exactly what science research is.

RR: Is there anything you will not miss about Riverdale?

JF: Yes for sure…I guess I’ll say this which may be slightly controversial but I think it’s worth saying… I think there’s a lot of pressure that’s put on kids institutionally to achieve and to be successful by very traditional sort of metrics like grades and college admissions. I would hope to work at a school that is able to separate itself from that. Even though I understand there’s a lot of societal pressure to craft kids in that way. But I [don’t] think [that] I [will] miss this sort of rampant college obsession that this school sort of inducts into its culture.

RR: What is a moment you will never forget from your years at Riverdale?

I was not a big runner before I came to Riverdale, but Coach Sin Quee, Nicole Sin Quee, turned me into a runner and last year I ran with her pretty much every Tuesday and Thursday– she, her husband, and a few other teachers were often there. And I will really cherish those times because I feel like those are great bonding opportunities with faculty, but also it just gave me a new hobby and way of staying healthy that is really important to me, these past couple of years.

RR: What will you be doing next?

JF: I’m going to be teaching computer science at Berkeley Carroll in Brooklyn.