English 11
Welcome to English 11. I am excited to be teaching this class because I am passionate about language and writing. Throughout the year, we will be exploring complex questions such as “What’s the purpose of my education?”, “What is the American Dream?”, “What’s the right thing to do?”, “When is it right to break the rules?”, to name a few. I studied philosophy in college, and this informs my approach to exploring big questions. Students have found this approach not only highly engaging, but also extremely helpful in preparing them for more sophisticated, college-level reading and writing.
Our emphasis will be on developing critical thinking and formal writing, two skills necessary for success in college, career, and throughout life. I am not interested in teaching students what to think, but rather, how to think, and then how to express that thinking in effective language. With the inspiration of the Greek philosopher Socrates, we will focus on asking questions, avoiding easy answers, and forcing each of us to challenge our assumptions.
Our emphasis will be on developing critical thinking and formal writing, two skills necessary for success in college, career, and throughout life. I am not interested in teaching students what to think, but rather, how to think, and then how to express that thinking in effective language. With the inspiration of the Greek philosopher Socrates, we will focus on asking questions, avoiding easy answers, and forcing each of us to challenge our assumptions.