Welcome to English Language Arts (ELA) in room 402.  I am excited that you are a part of our classroom.  I teach Discovery ELA and 8th grade ELA.   Our classroom is a place where we have the opportunity to develop our English language skills in the areas of reading, writing, listening, and speaking.  We will develop these skills by reading and writing both fictional and informational texts, as well as by listening to and speaking about a variety of texts.  We will sharpen those skills by reviewing grammar, the building blocks of communication, as we apply standard rules to understand and discuss sentences, paragraphs, essays, short stories, novels, dramatic plays, speeches, advertising, images, and any other form of communication that we encounter in our world.  I look forward to watching your progress in ELA as you explore, develop, practice, and refine your communication skills both in and out of the classroom.  

When I am not in the classroom, I enjoy reading novels and newspapers, creating vegetable and flower gardens for my family, and spending time at the beach or on my bicycle.  

These words from Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948), will be a part of our first classroom discussion:  

Your thoughts become your words.

Your words become your actions.

Your actions become your habits.

Your habits become your character.

Your character becomes your destiny.