The world is a classroom. Every student has an opportunity to learn and learning any subject begins with a foundation of language arts. I consider the skills of literacy, reading, writing, literary analysis and communication to be a fundamental foundation on which learning can be built and expanded upon. Without language, a student cannot effectively acquire new knowledge, whether it is by reading a book, watching a television news story or listening to a teacher in a classroom. I value the capacity to learn and want to enrich my students by encouraging them to build a solid foundation.

The challenge is convincing students that what they are learning is important, relevant and will remain with them for a lifetime. Teaching can be about motivating students to build a strong foundation for themselves. Students entrust teachers with their development, be it attitude, personal beliefs or identity. My goals are to help students learn self confidence, an appreciation and passion for new ideas, and to think creatively and critically. I hope that I can motivate my students to grasp onto a love of learning as I show them the possibilities beyond the classroom and into their world.

Writing is an iterative process, with the distinct yet interrelated tasks of prewriting, writing, revising, editing and publishing. I view teaching as a similar iterative process involving planning, drafting, revision and delivery. Not every day will be a best seller, but my goal is to enable students with the language arts skills to effectively understand, analyze and participate in the messages around them.

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. ~Chinese Proverb