Inspired by the works of Native American author Joy Harjo, Rachel Luckenbill brings that same spirit of voice and vision as Trinity’s new regular and Honors English 10 teacher. Luckenbill also has experience teaching Native American literature at previous schools.
Luckenbill studied at Lebanon Valley College, Villanova University and Duquesne University, earning her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and Ph.D, respectively. She majored in English with a minor in history. Luckenbill’s love of reading led to her passion for teaching English.
“I really encourage students to be open-minded and embrace humility, because reading is all about encountering ideas different from your own and … giving them a chance,” Luckenbill said.
Coming from Bishop Moore Catholic High School, this year is filled with many new things for Luckenbill. For one, this is her first year teaching only 10th graders. Until 2016, she had only taught at colleges, then taught freshman composition and upper-level specialized courses like African American literature. Yet, something about Trinity appealed to Luckenbill.
“I really wanted to work at Trinity,” Luckenbill said. “I had heard that it was much smaller class sizes, which I care about a whole lot because I like to build a community, and that’s really hard to do when you have more than 20 people in the room.”
Outside of the classroom, when she is not taking care of her 2-year-old toddler, Luckenbill has several hobbies, including yoga, singing in a community choir and reading. Some of her favorite authors include Joy Harjo, Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville. To Luckenbill, reading is more than just learning about different characters; it is about immersing yourself in their world.
“Reading has the power to build empathy and connection,” Luckenbill said. “In reading a book, you get to step into the shoes of someone who might have grown up somewhere different, in a different time period, with different beliefs, and it gives you a chance to walk in their shoes a little bit. That helps bring down barriers and create connections.”
Aside from teaching her students the essence of English, Luckenbill also teaches them a key life lesson: fearlessness, which she incorporates in the classroom.
“My favorite life advice to offer is to not let fear control you,” Luckenbill said. “I encourage my students, if they’re afraid of something, as long as it’s not something bad for them, to give it a try, and to push past fear so you don’t live your life limited”.