Pat Conroy editorial

I just checked my twitter and found an article Jim Burke posted written by Pat Conroy on the role of English teachers and the ever-present battle against censorship. Rarely have I read such an eloquent opinion on English teachers. Conroy captures the beauty and importance of English teachers, who have the privilege of opening doors when others aim to shut them. English teachers are faced with a strong desire and necessity to engage students in literature coupled with a challenge from parents who object to the very content that attracts teenager readers and that exists in the real world. Conroy agrees that parents often do not respect the integrity of English teachers. Sometimes, parents read too much into articles posted on the internet, instead of taking the time to read the book and make their own educated judgments, which is simply what teachers want their students to do. I was inspired by this article and know that other teachers (some on my very hall) will benefit from reading Conroy's opinion....
Letter to the Charleston Gazette

First Post

As a high school English teacher, I find that I constantly advise my students to reflect on their learning process and style, and yet over the past year, I did not practice what I preached to every student. For ten years, I pursued multiple degrees in college and became accustomed to reflecting on my learning process as well as my development as a teacher. Looking back, the process of keeping a journal and commenting on my trials, successes, and failures as a teacher was one of the most important learning tools I developed.

So....

As a sixth year teacher and by no means a veteran, I have decided to go back to my roots. In doing so, I will keep this blog to reflect on my experiences developing lesson plans, designing units, and teaching students everyday. I hope to chronicle my successes as well as my failures in an attempt to become a better teacher. I invite comments, concerns, and questions and hope that through my process of reflecting, I can help not only myself, but other teachers as well, teachers who find themselves confused on the best way to teach writing and reading in the twenty-first century.