What Makes Aaron Bennett The Teacher He Is Today?

            One of the main reasons that I chose the English teaching profession was my experience in the English classroom during my own high school days.  I did poorly in my ninth grade English class but I am not the type who gives up easily.  My love of reading and writing persevered and I learned a great deal during this period.  In order to learn about literature and correct writing styles, I forced myself to look outside the classroom.  I made friends with the dusty old books found in the back of the library.  When learning became enjoyable, I found myself craving knowledge. 

            I feel that English is not a subject solely for academically minded people; it should be accessible to all.  I learned that perky skits, rants and other general craziness could liven up some of the dullest material.  I think that is a good approach, but only if the substance is there to build on.  I think I can take the good points of the fun approach and mix with other methods that I learned at the University of Michigan; where I earned a Bachelor's in English, and a Secondary Education certificate.  That conglomeration should yield an education that is fun for the students, as well as teaching them useful and thought provoking material. 

            I want to be able to give my students the knowledge and insight that I found outside the classroom.  I would like the learning process to be engaging to the students rather just regurgitation of facts.  I would like to open up the world of reading to my students.  Many kids do not like reading merely because they don’t think it interests them.  Opening up the wide variety of genres might yield a topic or type of literature that will turn an uninterested student into an avid reader.  There will always be the students who love to learn and are always in the top of the class.  At the same time there are ones to whom things come slower, or are just uninterested.  Finding things to interest the students and make it more accessible will aide in everyone’s learning process.  With inclusion I know that I will have to tailor my assignments to meet the needs of a wider variety of students.  I look forward to learning new ways to deal with that will help when I make the journey into a full-time teaching position.  My ultimate aim is to help my students become lifetime learners.  There is a world of reading, learning, and expressing that goes on all around.   If I can give them the tools to analyze and express their ideas, the pursuit of knowledge will be much more enjoyable and not just something they do in a classroom.  

            I am currently pursuing a Master's degree in Writing at Seton Hill University.  I believe it will help hone my craft as a writer and as a teacher of English and writing.  I decided that I would like to do my Master's writing project on some topic related to werewolf legends, literature, film, or lore.  Since then I have been reading all of the noteworthy texts in that area.  I love researching and learning new things.  That is why I also became certified to teach history.  That research background comes in handy when teaching academic writing, in English or history. 

            My creative thesis is a horror novel dealing with the werewolf legends of the Chippewa tribe of northern Michigan.  The novel has been reviewed by Stoker award winner Jack Ketchum, who has said it shows great promise.  I have been working with my mentors Timons Esaias and Dr. Michael A. Arnzen, and peer critique partners, to craft my novel into the best piece of fiction possible.  I have learned a great deal during this process that I can directly apply in my teaching.

            Every educator has heard the old adage "Those who can, do.  Those who cannot, teach."  I was always of the opinion that the two should not be separate.  From James Joyce to Stephen King, writers have found that teaching and writing go hand in hand.  I plan on becoming a novelist, as well as writing screenplays and short works.  I already have a few short pieces published, along with an unpublished screenplay.  I think the best writing teachers are the ones in the trenches every day, both writing and teaching.  I am serious about my craft.  I want my own writing to be the best it can be and that translates into how I teach.