John Payne

John Payne began teaching at Cypress College in January 1996. He holds a MA in literature and a MFA in creative writing from Long Beach State and has published over forty poems and short stories in small press magazines and journals across the United States. He enjoys traveling, reading, and surfing; on weekends he can be found on the basketball courts of Long Beach.

In the classroom, Mr. Payne prides himself on fostering an open, inquiring atmosphere, one where students can voice their opinions freely. He is committed to improving his students' writing and critical thinking skills and provides plenty of interesting readings and relevant assignments in order to do so.