I believe the core of any successful English/language arts program is literature. I believe strong writing skills are founded in strong reading skills, and in exposure to diverse and challenging works of literature. Therefore, I believe the challenge facing English/language arts teachers is to present literature in a way that enables students to decode and analyze on their own.

I hope that, as I teacher, I will foster an environment of trust and acceptance. In such an environment, students garner self-confidence and develop a willingness to express themselves. Effective oral and written communication skills are keys to success in any career

I love literature. I love the written word. I am an avid reader and find great pleasure in a reading a good book (and sometimes even in reading a mediocre book). Novels, short stories, poetry, and plays offer us windows into the lives of others, and clues for examining our own lives. If students are given permission to read for themselves, that is to interact with literature on a personal level, they are more likely to find pleasure in the reading experience, more likely to pick up another book, and more likely to allow literature to impact their lives.

I look forward to an opportunity to empower students to find themselves in the words of others, and to express themselves in words of their own.