Mr Sohnly Biography

During the month of May, 2017, my Language Arts class was assigned a book project. Everyone received a book and worksheets that went along with the book, which helped us understand the meanings and ideas in the book. That year we read The Great Gatsby. The teacher would

I walked into room 160 and saw a group of anxious 14 year olds, waiting for the lady we had all heard so much about to walk in. Rumors about her ranged from “she will make you cry daily” to “she’s basically the human form of a fire breathing dragon”. When the bell rang, we all prepared for the worst. The small lady that walked in, with short brown hair and glasses too big for her face did not look nearly as intimidating as all the stories suggested, which was comforting on that first day of class. This was Mrs. Carballo, my AP US History teacher. She started our first day off by talking about the summer reading and our objectives for the year. By the time the second week rolled around, I felt pretty comfortable with the course...that is, until we all received books that were almost bigger than we were!

For my sophomore year, I was blessed with one of the best English teachers at our school, Mr. Granger. From the first day of class I knew that Mr. Granger represented everything I wanted to become in the future, and I made sure to tell him. Soon enough, snacks, lunches, and hours after school were spent in his classroom chatting with him or just enjoying his and the presence of the few other students that loved to be in Room 220. Mr. Granger was the everyman: a friend, a brother, a teacher, and a trusted adult, and in many ways Room 220 was a safe haven and home.

Throughout my journey in high school, I’ve made an incredible progress with the support of my teachers. Starting with my English teacher in Junior year, shannon Lupin. From her life lessons to her teaching moments, she was able to inspire my love for reading

Throughout all of time, literature has played an important role in people’s lives. Books are more than just stories to laugh at, cry with, or fall asleep to, but books can teach. Books can teach a person a simple task such as baking cookies or an extremely complex one such as solving for the derivative of a trigonometric path and its parabolic motion. Whatever the subject, whomever the reader, books can teach people many lessons. One of the most important lessons that a book can teach a reader is a lesson about himself, about the difficulties of life, and about living a good life. As time has passed, so has literature itself. Older books focused on historical events, fictional poetry, and important figures; however, books now have evolved to

I have to thank the book, The Great Gatsby for helping me find my prolonged love for my English teacher, and every English teacher since. Out of pure coincidence, as soon as I read my first assigned book, I suddenly got along with my teacher. I read the book for no reason other then that I finally thought that a book that was assigned, sounded interesting. And sure enough I was right. I read the book and enjoyed it. Before I read this book, the teacher and I were really at each others throats, literally. I found out from a fellow student that overheard her talking about me and she said that she would love to have the chance to knock me out. I laughed at the thought, since she did weigh about 100lbs and was over 60. I am very thankful for The Great Gatsby, and thankful that I read it. Since reading the book, I have joined a book club and bought a few books, and am in the process of reading one right now. A lot of things changed

Mrs. Wilson instilled a love for reading in me. In first grade this didn’t seem like much, but as the years went on I saw her impact on my life in many different ways. In fifth grade I was given the opportunity to be “student leader”, presented the opportunity to go to the young grades and read to the kids. I of course chose to read to Mrs. Wilson’s class. This

The five-minute warning bell goes off. I rush to my first class of my junior year, eager to see my classmates, who I was going to spend the rest of the 9 months with. I find myself stumbling into a classroom plastered with decorations of Denzel Washington with a Dr. Seuss book in his hand, a t and college flags galore. My AP English 11 class suddenly seemed so appealing to me. As a beautiful, curly haired short lady stood in front of me and said “Welcome to AP English 11,” I knew that I had found a treasure so much greater than just a pretty classroom. Little did I know, that short lady was going to inspire me throughout my challenge filled second-to-last year of high school.

Before starting English 1102 I was so excited because I knew who class I wanted to take; but, his class was full. I was a very sad cookie. Then my friend Josh told me her knew a professor that was better than the one I wanted and that I would love her class. I’m glad I trusted Josh and took this class. In my English 1102 class I evolved as a writer, experienced a lot of new things, made a few mistakes, and learned from them.

She does not understand why the older and well-known authors are not being read in high school. Prose uses a personal experience from her son’s sophomore English class. He had to read a “weeper and former bestseller by Judith Guest” (424), about a dysfunctional family dealing with a teenage son’s suicide attempt. “No instructor has ever asked my sons to read Alice Munro, who writes so lucidly and beautifully about the hypersensitivity that makes adolescence a hell,”(424). She again mentions books she approves of that should be read in English classes.

Mrs. Schonhoff has been a never ending support system during the entire duration of my high school career, it doesn’t matter if it was a school or personal problem, she’s always there with advice, a sarcastic comment, or a hug. She not only has helped me to be a better writer, but she has helped me to become the person that I am today. She taught me it was okay to laugh at myself and not to stress about every single detail in life or school. After spending at least some time in her classroom for the past four years, I can wholeheartedly say she is more than just an English teacher and she has made an everlasting impact on my life. It’s going to be so strange not being able to go to her classroom whenever I need a pick me up.

Midlothian High School remains extremely well-known across the country for its intelligent, caring, and dedicated faculty and teachers. As a former student, I can affirm this claim. From History to French to Mathematics, my teachers made my learning experience feel important and worth-while. Despite this, among all these great faculty members, the English Department shines bright because of one teacher and leader that stands out above the rest. Mrs. Sharon Austin, my junior year John Tyler Community College composition teacher has impacted my life in extraordinary ways. Because of her influence in my personal education and growth as a student, I admire her greatly as a leader in the world.

Coming into the end of my senior year, I was petrified. As I skulked into my classroom, I took a momentary glance around, trying to get a quick view of the people I would struggle with. After all I went through in high school; this is how I began to see my English class, a journey. I took my seat, across from a guy I knew from grade school. I knew I greatly improve at the subject, and everyone else

Charles Kuralt once said, “Good teachers know how to bring out the best in students.” This statement has never been truer when describing Jamey Trotter. He has been inspiring students for almost two decades now and he is one of the most incredible people you will meet. He is forty-one years old and he was born in a state known for its subtropical beaches, South Carolina. He stayed in his hometown for college and got his bachelor and master degrees in English. After graduating college he moved around a bit until finally settling down in Denver where he now lives with his family. Jamey enjoys a multitude of hobbies. One of his favorite hobbies is to collect books. He particularly enjoys fiction over any other genre. Another hobby of his is mountain

Annie Murphy Paul created this piece in response to a comment made by Gregory Currie. She also describes the positive reasons to why reading books makes better and smarter students.