I was a high school English teacher, passionate about sharing time with my students and reveling in those "lightbulb" moments, those "Aha!" epiphanies that signaled a sudden understanding or learning when an idea really resonated with my students.
With 26 years of experience teaching grades 8-12, my primary focus has been teaching meaningful literature-based, self-created, comprehensive units include the following elements:
- Vocabulary development and application
- Grammar
- thoughtful contemplation/journal writing/mindfulness
- A focus on essay writing (rhetorical analysis, expository, persuasive, informative, argumentative, creative)
- Unique, creative projects and presentations comprise the student products for my units.
- Grading=personal feedback; rubrics
ESSAY & WRITING
For many years I have assisted high school students in writing essays, creative writing and preparing for PSAT and SAT essay writing. Different approaches are taken for the various types of essays. Creative writing presents its own unique challenges. I can assist students in preparing to craft comprehensive essays that meet assignment or testing requirements AND help students awaken and hone their own writing voice and style. Whatever your writing need or intended goal, I am here to inspire you to awaken and nurture the best writer in you!
HOMESCHOOL UNITS
Would you like to engage in a customized literature-based unit? I have designed full units for grades 8-12 using books, plays, stories and films.These units focus on a single piece or collected pieces of literature and cover from six to ten weeks each. We delve into multiple sensory storytelling with the aid of written stories accompanied by cinema and musical versions to enhance the experience. These units are like taking a class and provide a full range of practices including research, critical thinking, comprehension checks, questions, vocabulary development, documenting citations, grammar practice, diction, writing, creating visuals, and presenting creative projects.