FCC instructor uses classroom and Kung-Fu to inspire students
John Cho has been teaching Asian-American Studies at Fresno City College for 19 years. He has been instrumental in developing many of the Asian-American Studies courses, and is the driving force behind the annual Asian-American Month activities.
Born in San Francisco, Cho moved with his family to the Central Valley when he was 5 years old. He graduated from Selma High School and went on to attend California State University, Fresno. He earned degrees in geography, urban planning, and chemistry, as well as a teaching credential, before eventually becoming an instructor at Fresno City College.
“Teaching is a noble profession. It gives us a chance to help other people.” –John Cho
Asian-American Studies instructor
Cho has helped develop many courses focused on Asian-American issues, ranging from status and identity to literature. He views teaching as an opportunity to inspire and improve.
“Teaching is a noble profession,” he said. “It gives us a chance to help other people. As instructors, it’s our duty to help the students to be better than when they came into class.”
He also took the initiative in expanding the college’s Asian-American Month activities.
“We used to have Asian Awareness Day, or two days,” he said. “I said, well, let’s have a week of things. And then gradually the week grew into ten days, fifteen days, and eventually I just said we’ll take it for a month and call it Asian-American Month.”
The month now includes a variety of student discussion panels, lectures, and cultural performances. Cho views the growth of Asian-American Month at Fresno City College as one of his proudest accomplishments.
Cho’s teaching isn’t limited to Fresno City College. He has operated John Cho’s Kung-Fu School in Fresno for 20 years—one year longer than he has taught at FCC. He sees Kung-Fu as an additional means of learning valuable lessons like patience and persistence, he said, and “the belief that if you apply yourself, you will improve. You might not become the best in the world, but you will definitely improve.”
He also sees parallels between the martial art and the classroom. “I don’t know if everybody can be an ‘A’ student,” he said, “but if they apply themselves, they will get a better grade.”
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