City College students are used to seeing their instructors in front of the classroom, talking about books, introducing books and working through the content with them, but several City College professors are published authors, poets and journalists themselves.

As a City College English professor, Jeff Knorr works to develop his student’s abilities to appreciate and create literature. As a published writer and poet, Knorr has learned to notice things in his life he might otherwise have walked past if he had spent his days in some other endeavor.

“Writing has helped me sharpen my senses, forced me to be attentive,” says Knorr.

Quoting author James Dickey, Knorr says writers are supposed to be “more human
than human.” Knorr has published three poetry books, Standing Up to the Day, The Keeper, and most recently The Third Body in April 2007. The Third Body is a collection of poems exploring the manifestations of love in Knorr’s life; his love for his son, his wife, his parents, and spiritual love. Poetry is the one genre Knorr is constantly compelled to write. “It’s like meditation—a deeper, more spiritual experience for me,” Knorr says.

Journalist, creative writer and City College instructor Jan Haag wrote Companion Spirit, a collection of poems reflecting on the death of her husband and her healing since.

Haag says she writes to understand life’s process and its challenges.

“I approach teaching writers as a writer, as one who loves to write but who can struggle with the same issues around writing as my students,” says Haag. “I teach [the English creative writing course] Writing as a Healing Art because I’ve been healed by writing throughout my life and want students to share that, too.”

Haag was editor of Sacramento magazine for four years, worked as a reporter, and is currently working on a novel called Ocean Falls.

Albert Garcia, Dean of the Language and Literature division, taught English at City College from 1991 to 2005. Garcia is now responsible for managing the division’s entire curriculum.

“I used to love teaching Introduction to Literature,” says Garcia. “I felt like I failed if they didn’t enjoy poetry and short stories by the end.”

Sitting at his desk covered in papers, with a shelf of binders and books above him, Garcia says it is the potential to create something that will move others that motivates him to continue writing on top of his hectic schedule as an administrator. Garcia has published two poetry books, a collection of poems written over an eight to 10 year period called Skunk Talk, completed in 2005, and Rain Shadow.

Garcia explains why it’s important for him to always be writing: “It feeds a part of you, one that doesn’t get fed in other ways. It’s kind of addictive in a way, intoxicating I think.”

Garcia’s favorite poem is whichever one he’s just finished.

“If I feel it’s finished, I’ve worked to make it as good as it possibly could be,” says Garcia.