Being an avid reader since childhood as well as a lover of the English language properly spoken, I am passionate about instilling in young people a love for the printed page, both classics as well as modern. This can be a rather daunting task in today’s world when young people are bombarded with audio-visual media input from morning to night and have access to so much right at their fingertips. Therefore, it is vital, in their reading novels and other forms of literature, that I engage their senses and faculties in more ways than simply reading, so they will act out scenes from books, write accompanying scenes and other texts, research authors and their works, watch videos, and more.
In English classes I will focus, as per the Cambridge learning objectives, on their learning to read, write, and speak English with confidence and clarity. I will first make sure their knowledge of English grammar and spelling is adequate and up to the task of forging ahead toward perfecting the above skills in their English, reading both quietly and aloud with expression, writing and learning to express their thoughts and feelings clearly, and speaking fluently and flowingly on subjects that interest them.
I am also a strong believer that, to understand about and form opinions our modern world and its issues, we must understand the history behind these events. One of my greatest criticisms of the media is that events are often reported without giving the background that caused these events. As a result, young people might decide certain people are evil or dangerous when the history of colonialism, oppression, or mistreatment may have molded them into the people they are today. Whether we agree with them or not, it will help us find solutions in our world if we understand the causes behind world views and attitudes. Therefore, I believe History is one of the most important subjects students can study.
Finally, Drama may seem to be a non-essential luxury for those who do not plan to go into a life of performance. However, consider a few of the many things a course in drama can teach to and ingrain in our students. They overcome shyness and develop self-esteem and confidence to speak and perform in front of various audiences, a skill which can be beneficial in all walks of life. They learn team-working and negotiation skills by cooperating with fellow students and their teachers to create performance pieces. They learn empathy and understanding for people unlike themselves from acting out roles perhaps of a medieval knight or lady or an Amazonian tribesperson or a modern teen or adult, a king, a queen, a pauper, a multi-millionaire. All the world is a stage and the stage is a world, so we are introducing students to the world they will live, work, and operate in when we teach them drama.
I am very eager to teach these wonderful young people and have a part in helping them develop into strong, wise, responsible, and mature adults.
