Meet Joy Hanks

“I’ve heard people say that sometimes your passion finds you, you don’t find your passion.” Joy Hanks said she would have never believed in her younger years that she would make a good teacher.  The reason she started teaching in the first place was in response to her 3-year-old daughter’s desire and insistence on learning to read. “At first, I didn’t want her to read early because I didn’t want her to be ‘that kid.’” But Joy soon began homeschooling her using the classical philosophy and method. “She was reading within months, and I don’t know who was more excited, me or her, but at the point I just realized the joy I got from teaching and learning along with her.”

It was during this time that Joy followed classical method and philosophy in her teaching. “I was not classically educated… but I found philosophy and the Great Books to be very enjoyable,” she said. “But I saw a lot of value in educating the whole person and saw that a classical education does that. That’s what attracted me to Great Hearts when it was time to find a school for my daughter. Great Hearts was perfect.” Joy attributes the Great Hearts education that all four of her children received for their ability to communicate well, both in spoken and in written word.

She continued homeschooling her children along with others for the next 10 years. Her daughter was a freshman and enrolled in Glendale Prep when Joy was looking to get back into the workforce.

In the fall of 2009, she contacted a Great Hearts Headmaster to see if there was an opportunity to shadow a teacher for a program that she was looking into, and through a series of conversations, she was offered a part-time teaching assistant (TA) position at a new Title I school located downtown.  A year later, she accepted a position teaching 4^thgrade at Great Hearts Anthem. She later served several years in administration at Archway North Phoenix before taking a step back into the classroom, teaching at Archway Glendale.

Joy is now in her second year back in administration as the Dean of Students at Archway Glendale. While she loves the classroom, she is happy to return to administration with a focus on the social/emotional well-being of the students under her care.  Working alongside Headmaster Suzanne DeStefano and Assistant Headmaster Sara Swinford has been a good match. “Suzanne, Sara, and I really gel and mesh well together in using our strengths and relying on each other for those strengths.”

As the Dean of Students, Joy focuses on the culture of the school surrounding students and teachers.  She addresses student safety by engaging students with behavior concerns or students that are working on skills such as communication, attention, and getting along with others.

Many times, as Dean, Joy has to make difficult phones calls, but she says she gets a lot out of the experience. “I find it very rewarding to have a productive conversation with parents about what is most precious to them. I get a lot out of that.”

Joy also has the opportunity to coach teachers in classroom management. “I get a lot of enjoyment in coaching teachers, especially those that are new to teaching. “They are just so hungry and need that reassurance and nurturing. That’s when that mother side of me kicks in.”

In her position, Joy has seen a noticeable increase in anxiety among students and teachers over the past few years.  She is currently involved in working with trainers to certify Mabel, her 9-month-old Bernadoodle (Bernese Mountain Dog and Poodle mix) as a therapy dog.  “Mabel brings a lot of joy to my life.” Keep your eye out for future news as Mabel completes her certification.

It is worth noting that Joy’s father had a ranch in Colorado where she grew up and she was raised around many animals, such as horses and cattle. Much to her colleagues’ surprise, Joy was crowned Rodeo Queen in her high school junior year at the Rooftop Rodeo, a PRCA sanctioned professional rodeo in Estes Park, Colo. “I would say that was probably one of the most significant experiences that I had as a young person. It really helped me because I had to speak at public luncheons and different town events, and I had to go around the state representing the rodeo and it was a lot of fun.”

Do you have a story or know of a story that you would like to see featured at Great Hearts?  Please contact jmoore@greatheartsamerica.org.