A few months ago, as students filed into my second period class, one of the freshman in my Pre-AP Literature class asked me if I was good at writing essays. I told him it has been awhile since my writing has been judged, but I thought I was good at essays. To be honest, for a brief moment I felt flustered by the student's question. Not because he asked, but because his question hit right to the heart of something I've been reflecting on for several months now. This is my eleventh year as an English teacher. I teach reading and writing to 150+ students every year. I model reading and writing skills in class. The advanced 9th and 10th grade courses I've had recently let me share my love of reading classic literature near daily. We all commit to reading books outside the classroom, and I love the days we spend in collective discussion about characters, settings, stories, and themes. This year, I became the advisor of the Creative Writing Club and I am teaching a section of
Family stories from PDX to BG to MV