Former Journalist Joins English Department

While English teacher Minu Davé is new to Campolindo, she is now in her 13th year as a teacher. And prior to joining the teaching profession, she worked as a journalist.

Davé served as the staff photographer at her undergraduate alma mater, Rutgers University, which is where her interest in journalism started. “That’s when I decided that, in addition to English, I was going to double up with Journalism and start learning how to become a reporter and a writer,” she said.

After graduation, Davé worked with several newspapers and had the opportunity to work as a reporter on Capitol Hill.

However, as the newspaper industry began to contract, Davé began to survey other career options. “I was scared a little bit, and I thought, ‘Let me try some online publications.'” said Davé.

She stayed in the business for 7 years, but at her last newspaper job she began to consider another career path. Davé said that advertising was falling along with the industry, so she tried teaching.

Most of Davé’s “teaching life” has been in California, though she was involved in a program similar to Teach for America based in New York where she taught English in intercity schools for 3 years. She worked in the intercity school system for several more years after moving to California in 2008.

Davé is currently teaching English 2 and 4 at Campolindo, and she also teaches 3 sophomore English classes at Miramonte. “I didn’t know that it was going to be a split site [when I was interviewing]. So [the principals] were figuring out their schedule the entire time, and I was interviewing at basically both or either positions,” said Davé.

Traveling between campuses is difficult because she has less time to spend with her students on campus outside of class time. “But,” said Davé, “I’m always here when the students need me, and I hope to get to know them better as the year goes on.”

Last year, sophomore Vishal Lashkari had a teacher in a similar situation. “I had a teacher last year that [commuted between Miramonte and Campolindo] as well, and it worked fine. The biggest disadvantage is that they don’t have Academies,” said Lashkari.

“Ms. Davé is a really engaging teacher. She not only checks all your work but encourages you to participate in class and adds onto your ideas,” said sophomore Noel Seo. “I’m really looking forward to reading her selection of books because it’s not really conventional for 10th grade English. Her book selection really emphasizes on cultural diversity and identity.”

Outside of school, Davé enjoys creative writing, and she has soft published 2 books with her creative writing group. “It’s been a while since we worked together, but I still try to write poetry and short stories and more literary fiction than nonfiction,” said Davé.  She also enjoys music and considers herself a “concert fiend.”

“I think she’s a good teacher,” said Lashkari. “She’s still getting used to the district but she fits in well.”