Meet Teaching Artist Margaret Yapp
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Margaret Yapp is from Iowa City, Iowa. Her poems and essays have appeared in Peach Mag, Apartment Poetry, the minnesota review, and elsewhere. Margaret is an MFA candidate at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where she teaches literature to college students.
To see Margaret's current classes, visit her artist bio page.
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When did you start teaching? What path—career or otherwise—brought you here?
My first experience with teaching was as a General Education Literature TA for undergrads at the University of Iowa. I love talking about reading and writing, and teaching feels like a really natural extension of that love.
How would you describe your teaching style?
My teaching style is discussion-based and highly collaborative. I believe my role as a teacher is to be helpful when I can by sharing the information that I know, be honest about what I don't know, and actively invite everyone in the classroom to share their insights and knowledge!
When it comes to imagining and creating classes, where do your ideas come from? What in particular inspires you?
I just follow the inspiration when it comes! I'm not sure where any idea comes from. I recently heard the poet Rae Armantrout say "an idea is math without numbers," and that feels pretty true for me, too.
What's the ideal environment for your classroom? What atmosphere are you hoping to establish?
I love a classroom where everyone is involved in creating the activities and discussions, not just the teacher. I hope to facilitate a space where everyone is comfortable getting involved! Most importantly, student's health and wellbeing always comes first, before any assignment or classroom task. Flexibility, compassion, and a sense of humor are very important values to me.
Regardless of what your class is specifically focusing on, what's the main goal you have for your students?
To have fun, write what you want to write, and learn what you want to learn!
What have been some of your own favorite educational experiences?
I have had amazing teachers at The Loft, Luther College, and the University of Iowa. I have been so lucky in having many supportive teachers and mentors that have encouraged me to pursue writing. I don't want to write in isolation, I want to write to communicate, and learning from other writers is a huge part of that.
To you personally, what is the most important part of the literary arts?
Self expression and community building!