{"id":59,"date":"2012-12-20T13:57:28","date_gmt":"2012-12-20T13:57:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.literatureisnotextinct.com\/?page_id=59"},"modified":"2016-10-01T17:13:41","modified_gmt":"2016-10-01T22:13:41","slug":"about-the-author","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.literatureisnotextinct.com\/?page_id=59","title":{"rendered":"Author"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Author<\/a>MINI BIOGRAPHY<\/h3>\n

A professional educator for more than twenty\u00a0years, NoOrdinaryEnglishTeacher<\/span>,\u00a0the author and creator of this site, is dedicated to the vision of LiteratureIsNotExtinct<\/strong><\/span>. \u00a0An engaging and creative instructor with experience teaching English in Texas public secondary schools, NoOrdinaryEnglishTeacher<\/span> is determined to demonstrate that literature, and other stuff we learn about in English class, really DOES affect our modern lives beyond the walls and confines of \u00a0school.<\/p>\n

After graduating \u00a0in the early 1990’s with a degree in English from a private university in Texas, NoOrdinaryEnglishTeacher<\/span>\u00a0began teaching in a public high school. Originally thinking the career would only last a few years until something more exciting came along, she soon discovered that teaching was what she was meant to do. \u00a0In teaching, she found all the excitement she needed! \u00a0Both challenging and rewarding, the teaching profession is more noble than most will ever understand; and specifically, good English teachers dedicate so much of their time to the reading, writing, lives, and learning of their students. \u00a0What could be better than that? \u00a0NoOrdinaryEnglishTeacher<\/span> credits the students with keeping her in the profession so long.<\/p>\n

When speaking about her past scholars, she says they are like her children, and claims, “without them, I would not be me — they are all my favorites.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In her own classrooms,\u00a0NoOrdinaryEnglishTeacher<\/span> is passionate about literary connections. \u00a0Over the years, she asked her students to notice examples in their daily lives that related to anything they studied in class. \u00a0Much to their surprise, her students began to notice that \u00a0literary connections were more prevalent than they originally thought. \u00a0In fact, being aware of the connections often made TV sitcoms funnier, cartoons more entertaining, books more exciting, music more meaningful, and movies more interesting; these connections also made for great conversations in the classroom! \u00a0Recognizing literature of the far (and near) past can actually be fun and rewarding in our present lives!\u00a0 In contact with many graduated students via email, facebook, twitter, and phone, NoOrdinaryEnglishTeacher\u00a0<\/span>still enjoys listening to the connections her former students make between the modern world and their previous education.<\/p>\n

She\u00a0particularly enjoys talking with young people about what they know and what they’ve learned, in ALL the subjects they enjoy.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

NoOrdinaryEnglishTeacher<\/span> has experience with students from various backgrounds, who possess an array of different skills. \u00a0Through the years she has been fortunate to foster her own knowledge by working with others in the Texas Speech and Debate circuit, the UIL academic \u00a0arenas, College Board AP Language and AP Literature classes, Odyssey of the Mind competitions, \"Author<\/a>college test preparatory courses, various educational Best Practice committees, and several types of Cooperative Learning academic teams. She’s participated in a variety of writing and reading workshops, and has advised her school’s Literary Magazine staff and Creative Writing class. She’s had the sincere pleasure to serve as a Gifted and Talented Coordinator, an English Department Chairwoman, and yes, even a Prom Committee Sponsor. \u00a0A strong proponent of education’s three R’s — Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships — NoOrdinaryEnglishTeacher<\/span>\u00a0has been happy to watch her students be successful in academic contests, on state standardized tests, on AP Language and AP Literature examinations, in their college experiences, in their own classrooms of students, and in their lives as adults with their own careers and families.<\/p>\n

During\u00a0a one year\u00a0hiatus from teaching in 2012 (to confirm who she wanted to be when she grew up), NoOrdinaryEnglishTeacher<\/span>\u00a0began\u00a0pursuing her Masters in Literature at a state university\u00a0near her home. \u00a0Time away from facilitating\u00a0her own\u00a0classroom reaffirmed her zeal for teaching others about English, and so this website was born. In 2014, after returning to education as a classroom coach and teacher mentor for a year, she received an endorsement in Instructional Coaching and firmly believes that providing collaborative support for\u00a0teachers is the best way to improve the current educational system. Presently, NoOrdinaryEnglishTeacher<\/span> serves a Texas school district as the Writing Instructional Specialist — while working at her day job, she finished writing her thesis about trees in middle grade fantasy novels, and she completed\u00a0her Masters degree in 2016.<\/p>\n

In addition to teaching, NoOrdinaryEnglishTeacher<\/span> is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and student. \u00a0She has been married to her husband, also an educator, almost as long as she’s been teaching. \u00a0They met in school a long time ago; some of their students even came to their wedding! \u00a0Outside of school, they enjoy traveling, camping, hiking, playing games, and reading — a lot. \u00a0Together, they have one son; fortunately, it seems he likes to play games and read books, too!<\/p>\n

To protect herself, her family, her students, and others who may know her personally, NoOrdinaryEnglishTeacher<\/span> prefers to remain anonymous for the time being.<\/p>\n

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