Hello Musees,

Today is Wisdom Wednesday, February 26, 2014.  This week, we have been working on our Descriptive Essays.  Below are the requirements:

1. 1-2 pages
2. typed, double spaced, Aerial or Times New Roman font, 12-point
3. MLA formatting
4. creative title
5. use all elements of style that we have learned so far
6. DUE FRIDAY is a full rough draft, ready for peer review.  Peer review sheets will aslo be available tomorrow if you are finished then.  Every student must have a peer review and peer review someone else's essay
7. Final draft due MONDAY, MARCH 3RD. 
8. Submit to turnitin.com Monday morning together in class.

Have fun with this!  Use the models that we discussed, as well as ALL class notes.

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Thank you for all of your letters to me.  Below is my letter to you so you can get to know me.  :)

Dear Writing for College Students,

I have been teaching for 11 years and love it.  I do love teaching seniors because I feel it’s an exciting time in your life.  Next year, you will be going out into the world to college.  What defines me as a teacher is that I am big on teaching life skills and philosophy.  While the subject matter and skills are important, I love to guide students in their development and decision making skills as human beings.  I like to get to know my students so that I can help them learn in the ways that inspire them. I love to run, read, dance and write.

I am a philosopher at heart and will bring philosophy into just about any discussion.   I love the summer and the beach.  Bring me to a tropical environment anytime.  I actually did an internship for my first career on Tortola, one of the British Virgin Islands. I believe in understanding multiple perspectives.  I feel that people should travel and learn about other cultures as much as they can.  If you have the chance to study abroad in college, I encourage you to do so. The rewards are invaluable.  I also studied British Literature in England for a summer.  I love England.  I would move to London if it made sense in my life right now.  I am a great writer, but sometimes when I speak, I tend to go off on tangents.   If any of you have had me as a teacher, then you have witnessed this.

Some quirky things about me?  Hmmmm.  I’m addicted to coffee and I love brown sugar in my coffee.  I have a phobia of bees.  So far, I’ve avoided being stung.   My favorite animals are plovers and zebras.  Plovers because I identify with them (I can elaborate upon request) and zebras because I think they’re beautiful.  I love to cook.   I could live on a diet of fresh seafood for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  In fact, I would be happy living on a boat.

If I could be a full time student for the rest of my life, I would be happy.  I love to learn and believe that everyone should be a lifelong learner. I have been to three colleges, New York Institute of Technology for Hotel & Restaurant Management and Tourism, East Stroudsburg University for a change of career and Masters in English/Secondary and Professional Education, and StonyBrook University for a 2nd Masters in School District and Building Leadership.  I’m not sure what the next few years holds, but I am happy to still be teaching.  I am looking forward to this semester, and I hope you are, too.

Here’s to a fantastic rest of your senior year!

Sincerely,

Ms. Miller