Teaching English is not just about the literature for me. Yes, yes, yes…I do LOVE to over analyze everything, beit a picture, story, movie, song, a friend’s social drama, etc, but the reason I love teaching English is because of WORDS! That’s right words!

Words are the reason that you are here in this school today: a long time ago someone declared (through words) it a privilege that everyone gets an equal education. Then, because some people decided not to take advantage of this privilege, someone else made this a law (words). Then your mom or dad (or whoever woke you up this morning) said (words), “You are going to school today...”

Politicians’ words influence US citizens vote for certain candidates. A boss’s words tell workers how to do the jobs that make our world go round. Words encourage (or discourage) people to play a sport, join a club, or enter a group of friends. Words teach students the ways of the world. Words make some people fall in love and others grow to hate. Words compliment and words degrade. Words seal a marriage, and words swear in a witness in court. By letter, email, Skype, and of course text, words travel the globe in seconds.

Words are everywhere, touch everyone, and influence every second of every day. And in what other subject area, do we get to study the significance, origination, power, and weight that these jumbles of letters hold?

I know that it drives some types of brains crazy that there is not one specific answer to most English topics. However, that is the beauty of it! We are here to discuss, ponder, question, and conclude what other people meant when they wrote.

And more importantly, while you are here this school year, I will ask you: What are you doing with your words? Do you choose them wisely? Do you have anything important to say…to a friend? To your parents? To this class? To our community? To the world? What will you leave behind? How will your words today effect any part of tomorrow? How will the words you read and write today effect you tomorrow, effect what you become in 10,000 tomorrows? Words, what you read, what you write, and what you say (especially how you speak), will determine your future….SO, DEPENDING ON YOUR WORDS, HOW BRIGHT AND SUCCESSFUL WILL YOUR FUTURE BE?

The ball is in your court. What will you do with the words you’ve just read?