The classroom is a community of readers and writers. As a member of that community, I consider myself successful if I can help my students develop a curiosity for, a competency in, and a love of the use of language. But an active concern with language is more than just a passing interest.
Language is power.
The way we use words actually helps to create the world we live in. If I could just feed my students knowledge, my job would be easier. They already understand hunger, its implications and solutions. As a teacher, I must demonstrate to my students both the appetite for understanding, for language, for literature and the digestive skills of interpretation and critical theory, which can satisfy their burgeoning pangs of inquiry. My aim is to contribute, as much as I can, to the process of creating a deeper understanding of the fundamental and enduring questions that are raised by thoughtful human beings wherever an intellectual tradition is established and perpetuated.