Teaching

A sixth-grade teacher in Detroit says both writing and critical reading are important in her job: "I learn and teach these skills every day!"  She says her Albion English major was "extremely important in my preparation for the field of education."  She adds, "I feel Albion gave a great foundation for the appreciation of the many literature genres." 

A high school teacher in Grand Rapids also finds writing and critical reading skills essential to his job.  He says his English major did prepare him for his job, and that "the reading and writing and the class discussions on literature were the most beneficial."

A substitute teacher working for her masters in Library Science calls both critical reading and writing skills "extremely" important in her job.  She says that she writes both for work and for class and adds: "I believe I was prepared quite well for my current position."

A fifth grade teacher in Illinois says that writing is "extremely" important in his job, both in communication with parents and in his class work.  Critical reading skills are "very important" also. He says of his Albion English major: "My major as well as the overall high writing expectations of my professors contributed significantly to my current skills as a writer."

A high school Spanish teacher says writing is "absolutely" important to her job and feels that, although she is not now teaching English, her English background "prepared [her] well for the many administrative aspects of [her] job."  She adds, "My studies of and discussions about a wide array of literature topics were invaluable in broadening my perspective and improving my mental flexibility."

A teacher's assistant in the construction trades finds, once again, that writing and critical reading skills are important in her job.  She says: "I am able to make myself understood in writing and by the spoken word. . . . I can also understand written and spoken communications form other people—another worthwhile skill."

A second-grade teacher in Michigan finds that writing skills are important to writing comments on report cards, letters to parents and the School Board, and grant-writing—all elements of her current position.

A substitute teacher currently looking for a full-time teaching position says that in teaching, "writing skills are of the utmost importance" and that "without critical reading skills much information and time is lost, and no one can afford that."  She says that the Albion English department "always led me to believe any job was open to an English major because a person who could read, understand, and write well was always needed in any business or profession.  The Department was right."

A former sixth-grade teacher, now a full-time mother, says both writing and critical reading skills were essential to her teaching job "for obvious reasons" and says: "My English major helped me immensely."  She adds: "I don't think a good English background can ever do you wrong!"