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Mr. Trenthem: My English Writer

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My English teacher inspired me to take risks, read closely, and spend time developing my craft as a writer. I left 8th grade English trained up in grammar, speaking and old-fashioned American Literature. The teacher who propelled me forward and made my high school successes possible is Mr. Phillip Jeffrey Trenthem. Not only did Mr. Trenthem work to broaden my worldview, he changed the way I think about adults, the world of work, and myself. Furthermore, he gave me the tools and confidence to share my voice through writing and speaking. That year, I made a huge leap forward in my grammar development. Before Mr. Trenthem came along, grammar was at best a puzzle I didn't understand and at worst a beast I (occasionally) poked with a stick. However, that mindset changed once I started using new and old grammar concepts to correct other students' essays. We even got to play a ball game that helped us master grammar skills by critiquing grammar used in each others' sentences. It didn't matter when I tossed the foam ball toward the hoop …show more content…

We composed journal entries, poems, summaries, jokes, analyses, epitaphs, and arguments. This allowed us to receive quick feedback, which proved to be invaluable. Mr. Trenthem's praise, corrections, rants, and endless stream of humorous stories inspired and motivated me to write more and think more about what I wrote. In fact, our class' study of American poets from Robert Haydn to Langston Hughes drew out some of the best writing I have ever crafted. I am very fortunate to have had such a fastidious and authentic person to challenge me every week to improve my writing and myself. Mr. Trenthem is the best teacher I've had the pleasure of learning from because he did the unthinkable. He instilled in his students an eagerness to learn and question more. I am thankful each day for the most hilarious, intense, and rewarding class that I was lucky enough to be a part

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